Gender Disparity in Health and Food Expenditure in India among Elderly

Barsharani Maharana,Laishram Ladusingh

doi:10.1155/2014/150105

Abstract

The present paper aims to shed light on the changing pattern of gender disparity in health and food expenditure over time among the elderly in India. National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) data of the 55th (1999-2000) and the 64th (2007-2008) rounds on household consumer expenditure have been used for this study. Further, the paper examines whether change in the sex composition of the elderly in households contributes to a change in health and food expenditure. The findings indicate wide gender disparity in food and health care expenditure, with that of males being higher than that of their female counterparts; the gap, however, is narrowing with time. The compositional shift in sex among the elderly in households contributes significantly to the decline in household health and the increase in household food expenditure over time.

Highlights

The age of an individual is an important factor when it comes to economic and demographic behaviour, health care needs, food habits, and consumption of goods and services
As individuals move through the lifecycle, chronological age changes and so does the need for different goods and services, test for different commodities, and health care
Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis are used to describe the characteristics of elderly and to assess whether gender disparity exists in food and health expenditure

Summary

Introduction

The age of an individual is an important factor when it comes to economic and demographic behaviour, health care needs, food habits, and consumption of goods and services. As individuals move through the lifecycle, chronological age changes and so does the need for different goods and services, test for different commodities, and health care. In the course of lifecycle the economic status of an individual changes from being the bread winner to being dependent on others Some of these changes have inertia towards improvement with the progress of development, while others, such as health care cost, are irreversible and can even intensify. An important accompanying objective of the paper is to measure and quantify the gender gap in household health care and food expenditure of the elderly and to examine whether the gap is narrowing with time or not. Though the life expectancy of women has overtaken that of men, gender role in the Indian society has not changed enough to prevent the discrimination against women even from food and health care rights

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Conclusion