Study Underscores Health Care Access Concerns for Elderly

Those aged over 60 have to travel an average distance of 43.62km for hospitalization and 14.54km for outpatient care in the country

- Rhythma Kaul

NEW DELHI: Older adults in the country travel an average distance of 43.62km for hospitalization and 14.54km for outpatient care, according to a recent study that highlights how physical distance adversely impacts overall health care delivery and health-seeking behaviours.

In addition, nearly two-thirds (67%) of the older adults in urban India availed themselves of outpatient care within 10km as opposed to 28.3km for people in rural and remote areas, displaying a significant urban-rural disparity.

Older adults are defined as individuals above the age of 60. The authors said this disparity grew disproportionately for in-patient care where the distance and time taken were two times higher for rural sexagenarians than their urban counterparts. "For in-patient admission, 95% arranged their own mode of transport, while 5% used ambulance services, with no significant urban-rural difference," the study said.

The study titled "Miles to go before I seek: distance to the health facility and health care use among older adults in India" has been published in The Lancet Regional Health-Southeast Asia.

The authors used the nationally representative Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI) (Wave-1, 2017-18) consisting of 31,902 older adults' data to analyze the average distance traveled by older adults for their routine and acute health care needs.