Prevalence of chronic diseases among older adults in EAG and non-EAG states of India and its contextual determinants

Abstract

Population aging is an emerging worldwide phenomenon. As a result of demographic and epidemiology transitions, life expectancy has increased across the globe. With the reflection of aging and increasing global population, chronic (non-communicable) diseases have become a global health challenge. Their burden becoming major public health challenges is more pronounced in low-performing states or developed states in India. Therefore, the present study assesses the prevalence of chronic diseases among older adults in Empowered Action Group (EAG) and non-EAG states, and their contextual factors. The study uses the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), Wave-1 data, the survey was conducted during 2017-18. Bi-variate, spatial analyses, and logistic regression models have been carried out to assess the prevalence of chronic diseases among older adults. The prevalence of at least one chronic disease among older adults in India was about 55 per cent and it was about 50 per cent and 59 per cent in EAG and non-EAG states respectively. The prevalence of hypertension (26%) was the leading chronic disease among older adults, followed by gastrointestinal problems (18%), arthritis (16%), diabetes (12%) and chronic lung diseases (6%). The odds of chronic diseases among urban older adults were 39 per cent (Odds Ratio [OR]=1.39; 95% CI:1.29-1.50) and 30% (OR=1.30; 95% CI:1.24-1.35) higher than their rural counterparts in both EAG and non-EAG states respectively. The study concludes that major contextual factors of chronic diseases were higher age, smoking and using smokeless tobacco, physical inactivity, never working, lack of education, Muslim religion, poor economic status and residing in urban areas in both EAG and non-EAG states.