Determinants of Poor Health Outcome Among Older Adults in India

Abstract

Self-rated health (SRH) is a crucial indicator of overall health status, functionality, and mortality among older adults. This study examines the socio-economic correlates of health outcomes among older adults aged 45-59 in India using data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India Wave-I. Descriptive analysis, bi-variate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression were performed to investigate the factors that best explain and predict SRH. The results show that age, gender, place of residence, education, marital status, religion, social category, living arrangements, work status, income, multimorbidity, functional limitations, nutritional status, and health behaviours are significant determinants of poor SRH. Multimorbidity and functional limitations were found to be the principal determinants of poor SRH. The likelihood of reporting poor SRH increases with age, being female, living in rural areas, having lower education, being unmarried, divorced, or widowed, belonging to disadvantaged social categories, living with a spouse or others, not currently working, having lower income, being underweight, and engaging in risky health behaviours. The findings highlight the need to strengthen healthcare services for older adults in India, considering the ongoing demographic transition and the substantial proportion of poor SRH in this age group. Addressing the needs of older adults aged 45-59 can help the nation benefit from the demographic dividend.