Study and Analysis of the Elderly Population of the Iran

The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the aging status of the population (65 years and older).

The research method of the present study is a combination of descriptive-analytical, documentary and secondary analysis methods and the research is applied based on the purpose. To analyze and evaluate the demographic indicators of the elderly in the country, the data and census data of 2016 have been used. In order to study the spatial characteristics of the elderly population, the aging ratio, total dependency ratio, elderly dependency ratio, elderly sexual status, aging coefficient or aging index and the three-level UN index have been used. Arc GIS 10.8 software was used for spatial analysis of the mentioned indicators.

The results show that the average population of 65 years and older in the whole country for 2016 is equal to 6.1%. Gilan province with 8.9% of the population aged 65 and over is the oldest province and Sistan and Baluchestan province with 3.2% is the youngest province. According to the UN three-level index, the provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan are young, Isfahan, Tehran, Mazandaran, Gilan and East Azarbaijan are old and the rest of the provinces are adult. Gilan province with 36.43 and 12.14, respectively, has the lowest dependence rate and the highest dependency ratio of the elderly. 22.58% of the provinces of the country are facing the aging of men and 77.42% are facing the aging of women.

The results of this study showed that the population of Iran has passed its youth and is entering middle age and old age with an upward trend. In general, the situation and spatial distribution of aging in the provinces of the country is such that the most problems are in the northern provinces and in the next stage in the central provinces. Therefore, government plans to solve this problem in the short, medium and long term should be with the priority of the northern provinces and then the central provinces and in later stages the border provinces are younger. This process is faster in some parts of the country and slower in others. The upward trend of the Iranian population aging index indicates that the period of aging crisis in the Iranian population is not far from expectation and it should be considered the most important challenge in the development planning system and affecting all aspects.