“Demographics is destiny” (sic): The American population

As a result of factors related to health, immigration, and historical trends, the US population is predicted to undergo unprecedented shifts. The most important and widely recognized shift is that of an aging population, with a doubling in the number of individuals aged 65 years or older in the US between now and 2050. Other shifts will also be important, including an increased presence of women in the workforce, and an increasing number of race/ethnic minorities. Many of these factors are not specific to the US population and therefore have international importance. In this review, we examine the ways in which demography intersect with the role of the surgeon in providing optimal care to the surrounding population.