International Journal of Healthcare Sciences ISSN 2348-5728 (Online) Vol. 8, Issue 2, pp: (336-341), Month: October 2020 - March 2021, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Determinants of Health Care Utilization Among Elderly People: India’s Picture - An Analysis of NSSO 71st Round Data Sreena TV BAMS, MPH (Central University of Kerala)
Abstract: India is experiencing rapid change in its population structure. According to the population census of India, the proportion of the elderly population is rising. About half of the elderly population in India is of poor economic status. Even though the Indian government is investing in primary health care services, healthcare utilization among the elderly is unsatisfactory. This study uses secondary data from the NSSO 71st round to understand the factors influencing healthcare utilization among the elderly. Variables were identified from the literature and selected from the data. The data is filtered to exclude the age group below 60 years. From those who are 60 years and above those who reported any ailments during the last 15 days of the survey were selected as samples for the study. The total sample selected for the study is 2853. Health care utilization among the elderly was found to be very high in this sample i.e. out of a total of 2853 samples who reported any ailment during the last 15 days of the survey, 2780 participants i.e. 97.4 percent utilized health care. In this study, there are two factors found to be associated with healthcare utilization among the elderly population, age, and economic independence. Keywords: Healthcare utilization, Elderly, economic independence.
1. INTRODUCTION The last few decades show a growing trend in the elderly population in developing countries like India. Globally about 12 percent of the total population comprises elderly people [1] and over two-thirds of the world‟s sixty-plus population lived in the developing regions. As per world population prospects, one in six global populations will be in the age group 65 years and above by 2050 [2]. According to the population census, there are approximately 104 million persons aged 60 years and above in India and is expected to grow by 173 million in 2026 [1], [3]. The share of the elderly population is growing over time. The proportion has increased from 5.6 percent in 1961 to 8.6 percent in 2011 [4]. The age-specific death rate per 1000 population was 18.4 for the age group 60 - 64 years [3]. The old-age dependency ratio climbed from 10.9 percent in 1961 to 14.2 percent in 2011 for India [4]. The prevalence of morbidity has increased considerably during the past years in India. The rise in the morbidity level coupled with an increase in chronic conditions and disabilities, were as expected to enlarge the demand for healthcare services especially among the elderly population [4]. Increasing longevity also poses a concern across the globe about its impact on health care utilization [5] Despite substantial investments in developing and maintaining a widespread network of public health facilities, the consumption of health services is still far from satisfactory. Very old people, due to their reduced mobility and disabilities, require others to do things for them. With the ever-increasing trend of nuclear families and the lesser number of children in the family, the care of older persons in the families becomes progressively difficult [6]. Some studies were done in India about the use of health services by the elderly. There are so many factors that put the elderly population into the vulnerable group. The health is compromised in the elderly and they are less productive. According to the UNFPA India report, loss of spouse and living arrangement adds significant vulnerability in the older population [1]. Older adults living with their spouses and children are having a higher chance of healthcare utilization than those who live alone [7]. Economic independence is another factor that determines the vulnerability and healthcare utilization among the sixty above population. Perceived health status is an important factor that determines health care
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