Urban-Rural Differences in Health Status among Older Population in India

To successfully address the challenges of rapid population ageing, it is essential to have an understanding of health status. In this study, we describe regional variations in health status by assessing self-rated health and functional disability of older population in India. The study uses the data from the World Health Organization sponsored “Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE-INDIA)” of 2007. This pioneering survey gathered information from 6560 persons (aged 50 years and over) from six Indian states. Analysis indicates that older population from urban areas is more likely to experience better health status and lower disability. Education plays a very crucial role in better health status and lower disability, irrespective of urban-rural differences. It also shows that higher years of education and better economic status of the households are positively related with better health condition and lower disability. Social security measures, including pensions and health insurance are crucial to ensure quality of life and well-being of older population in India.