Puerto Rico's aging index rose 41% in five years, and a parallel increase in chronic disease prevalence has health experts on alert. In 2025, arthritis ranked first at 26.2%, followed by depression and mental health conditions at 18% and diabetes at 18.1%. Current asthma stood at 13.1%, heart disease at 8.2%, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at 6.5%, and kidney disease last at 5.3%.
Alex Cabrera Serrano, director of the Public Unit of the Chronic Conditions Prevention and Control Section of the Health Department and an epidemiologist, said diabetes has long held the third spot, while Alzheimer's disease has risen over the past three decades as a leading cause of death on the island. He reported that 52.2% of people 18 or older had at least one chronic condition in 2025, rising to 69.9% among those over 65.
From 2023 through June 2026, 74,353 dementia cases were registered, 59.39% of them Alzheimer's. In 2023, seven of every ten deaths in Puerto Rico were caused by a chronic disease. Carlos Díaz Vélez, president of the Colegio de Médicos Cirujanos, said rapid population aging is his main concern, as it can worsen treatment, increase complications and prolong hospitalizations.
He noted that the over-65 population is growing dramatically and more age brings more chronic conditions.