Vax challenge: 26% older adults report health issues

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 6

Nearly 26 per cent older Indian adults have at least one underlying health condition and 18 per cent have multiple morbidities.

Findings from the largest survey of elderly health and well-being in India have revealed the challenges Covid-19 vaccine delivery planners will face. People aged 50 and above and those aged below 50 with comorbidities are on the inoculation list.

The findings of Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, a unique survey of those aged 45 and above done by the government and International Institute of Population Studies, Mumbai, were released today.

J&K tops in health spending

About 35% households incurred catastrophic health spending (out of pocket expenditure exceeding 10% of consumption expenditure). CHS is the highest in J&K (51%) and Bengal (44%).

“Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of the elderly, aged 60 and above, have multiple morbidities as against 18 per cent older adults aged 45-59,” states the study that will track 72,250 respondents in 65,506 households for 25 years. The survey finds that the elderly living in urban areas with higher education and those in the richest quintile with the highest per capita expenditure capacity are more likely to be diagnosed with more than one chronic health condition.

The prevalence of multiple morbidity conditions among the elderly is much higher than the national average in Kerala (52 per cent), Chandigarh (41 per cent), Lakshadweep (40 per cent), Goa (39 per cent) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (38 per cent). In India, the self-reported prevalence of diagnosed cardiovascular diseases is as high as 28 per cent among those aged 45 and above.