La enseñanza de la Geriatría y la Gerontología en Centroamérica y aspectos sociodemográficos relacionados

In several Latin American countries, medical curricula are deficient in the inclusion of compulsory disciplines such as Geriatrics and Gerontology (G&G). In the most favorable circumstances, these subjects are offered as elective courses. In order to problematize the teaching of G&G in Central American countries and related sociodemographic aspects, this paper offers answers, even if they are considered inexhaustible, to the following questions: What has been the nature of the demographic transition in recent decades? To what extent is postgraduate training in G&G symmetrical in the region? What is the predominant training profile in the countries? In short, are there sufficient specialized human resources to meet the health demands of the elderly? A review of the literature and an analysis of secondary data suggest that the countries can be divided into two groups. The first group of countries demonstrates a notable commitment to ensuring that future generations of professionals are adequately trained to meet the demands of these fields (Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala). In contrast, the second group of countries, which includes Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, demonstrates a comparatively lesser degree of sensitivity to this issue. It is curious that the rapid growth of the older population in these countries has not resulted in a proportional increase in the responses required by governments to meet the needs of this demographic. Immediate examples of this are the shortage of professional geriatricians and gerontologists and the few postgraduate courses in G&G studies. En varios países latinoamericanos, los planes de estudios de medicina carecen de disciplinas obligatorias como la Geriatría y la Gerontología (GyG). En las circunstancias más favorables, estas asignaturas se ofrecen como cursos optativos. Para problematizar la enseñanza de la GyG en los países centroamericanos y los aspectos sociodemográficos relacionados, este texto ofrece respuestas, aunque se consideren inagotables, a las siguientes preguntas: ¿Cuál ha sido la naturaleza de la transición demográfica en las últimas décadas? ¿En qué medida la formación de posgrado en GyG es simétrica en la región? ¿Cuál es el perfil de formación predominante en los países? En definitiva, ¿existen suficientes recursos humanos especializados para atender las demandas sanitarias de las personas mayores? La revisión de la literatura y el análisis de datos secundarios indican que los países pue