Abstract
Chronic diseases are the leading causes of disability and premature death among the elderly population in India. The study, using data from the 75th round of the NSSO survey (N = 44,631), examined the prevalence and determinants of chronic diseases among the population aged 60+ in India by applying bivariate and logistic regression analyses and used a non-linear decomposition technique to understand the urban-rural differences in the prevalence of chronic diseases. About 21% of the elderly in India reportedly have at least one chronic disease. Seventeen percent elderly in rural areas and 29% in urban areas suffer from a chronic disease. Hypertension and diabetes account for about 68% of all chronic diseases. The prevalence of chronic diseases is the highest in Kerala (54%), followed by Andhra Pradesh (43), West Bengal (36), and Goa (32). Those with higher levels of education, staying in urban areas, those who are economically dependent on others, staying alone or without spouse and children, and belonging to wealthy households have a higher likelihood of having a chronic disease. The probability of having a chronic disease is 1.15 times higher among urban residents as compared to their rural counterparts. Elderly rural women, compared to elderly rural men, and never-married, widowed, and divorced elderly urban women, compared to married elderly urban men, are significantly more likely to suffer from chronic ailments. Differences in education, wealth status, and caste are the three most significant contributors to the urban-rural gap in chronic diseases. The high risk of chronic diseases among certain subsets of the elderly population must be recognized as a key public health concern. The findings of our study will likely help promote healthy ageing in India.
Highlights
The world’s population aged 60 and over is projected to reach around 2.1 billion by 2050 [1]
In rural India, elderly persons living with others or alone (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.91–2.41) and those living with only the spouse (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.18–1.64) had higher chances of suffering from chronic diseases as compared to those who were living with their spouses and children
There is a dearth of studies on chronic diseases among the Indian elderly at the national level
Summary
The world’s population aged 60 and over is projected to reach around 2.1 billion by 2050 [1]. Rural-urban differentials in chronic diseases all deaths [4]. Since chronic diseases are common in the elderly and affected by the surrounding environment and lifestyle [3], it is important to understand the prevalence and determinants of chronic diseases in urban and rural India. In India, one in four people are likely to die of a chronic disease [24] It is important, for adults and older persons to be aware of the dangers and adopt a healthy lifestyle for healthy ageing. Not one study has examined this issue using the National Sample Survey (NSS) data of the Government of India. Our research is unique in its approach because it uses the NSS data to understand the prevalence and determinants of chronic disease among the Indian elderly and examines the contributors to the rural-urban differences. Since chronic diseases cannot be reported without a medical assessment, selfreported morbidity can be considered diagnosed morbidity in this regard
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