Health of elderly in India: evidence from building knowledge base of population ageing in India (BKPAI) dataset, 2011
Student name: Ms Yerramalla Manasa Shanta
Guide: Dr Papiya Guha Mazumdar
Year of completion: 2015
Host Organisation: Population Research Centre, Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr William Joe
Abstract: India is experiencing a demographic shift towards population ageing. The Population Projection Report 2006 has projected that India will be home to at least 173.2 million elders by the end of 2026 alone. By percent, elders will occupy 12.24% of the population, but the numbers encompass a larger underlying issue. Indian health system is not equipped to deal with elderly care and the healthcare costs that will burden the government in future will be huge if steps are not taken in present age. With the advent of modernization, the family support for elder have been broken, elders are left to fend for their own. Government provisions for geriatric care are bare, as they do not account as apriority group. This project presents a view of elderly based on the most recent available dataset called the Building Knowledge Base for Population Ageing in India, 2011 by providing insights to issues of Elderly care, with focus on Healthcare. Econometric evidence based on data will decipher issues on health such as Multiple-Morbidity, Out-of-Pocket Expenditure, and Non-Communicable Diseases etc. Policy Analysis of present Indian programmes coupled with best practices shed light on the gaps. With this analysis the thesis will argue for providing a framework of Active ageing, visualizing elderly as assets rather than a burden.
Keywords: Elderly Health, Building Knowledge Base for Population Ageing in India (BKPAI), Self-rated Health, Multiple-Morbidity, Non-Communicable Disease
