The document discusses the health conditions and economic status of the elderly in Greater Mumbai, revealing that many face health issues such as diabetes and hypertension, and struggle with financial insecurity post-retirement. Data collected from elderly individuals highlights a significant reliance on home treatment due to lack of funds, along with limited access to healthcare facilities. Recommendations include government support for housing and medical services, alongside prioritization of elderly patients in health institutions.

1. By
Prof. C . P . Prakasam
Former Professor, International Institute for
Population Sciences, Mumbai
prakasamcp60@gmail.com

2. OBJECTIVES
 To discuss the health conditions and health
seeking behaviour of elderly in an urban setup
(Greater Mumbai), and
 To examine the economic conditions of elderly and
its influence on health status in an urban setup.
 Data were collected through a pre designed
questionnaire from the sample household
members (60+ age) in Mumbai.

3. Educational Status of Elderly
Educational status Percentage
Illiterate 4.7
Middle school completed 11.7
High school completed 38.3
HSC 3.9
Graduate 33.6
Technical degree 7.8

4. Perceived Health Status of Elderly
 Well enough: 61.7
 Minor health
problem 32.0
 Serious health
problem: 6.3 Well
Enough
65%
Minor
Prob
29%
Serious
prob
6%

5. Percentage of Elderly with Health status according to
Religion and Social Group
Background variables Health Status
Religion Ill Health Healthy Total
Hindu
Non Hindu
38(34.9)
11(57.9)
71(15.1)
8(42.1)
109(100.0)
19(100.0)
Total 49(38.3) 79(61.7) 128(100.0)
χ2 =3.61,P<.05
Social Group
SC/ST/OBC
Others
18(35.3)
30(38.9)
33(64.7)
47(61.0)
51(100.0)
77(100.0)
Total 48(37.5) 80(62.5) 128(100.0)
χ2 =.330, NS

6. Health Problems among Urban Elderly (N=49)
Health Problems Percent
Diabetics 29.16
Diabetics + Blood Pressure
Diabetics + Eye problem
Diabetics + Depression
Diabetics + Asthma
18.75
Blood Pressure
Asthma
Heart Problem
Cancer
Paralysis
12.50
12.50
4.18
2.08
2.08
Other Problems
Joint Pain
Back Pain
Others (Weakness, Spandilaytis, etc.)
6.28
6.20
6.25

7. Ways of Spending Time (*Multiple choice answers ) Percentage
1. Reading books/paper/magazine 65.6
2. Spending time with family members 41.4
3. Visiting Religious places 22.7
4. with electronic media (TV/Radio/VCR) 28.9
5.Joining Recreation group 7.0
6.Playing cards 3.1
7. Other: Music class, Searching for boy for
daughter, Morning walk and evening walk,
Writing poetry
2.2
Ways of spending leisure time by the
Elderly

8. For treatment where will you go:
 No money for treatment-
No where hence home treatment: 68.0
 Government hospital: 20.5
 Private hospital : 11.5

9. Person who use to take care of the
Elderly (N=128)
Take Care Percent
By Self
Only Son Taking Care
Daughter and Son-in-law
Both Son and Daughter
Friends, Relatives and Others
43.8
24.2
10.2
9.8
12.0

10. When you were ill in the past
that helped you most:
 Wife: 80.0
 Daughter: 15.0
 Son & daughter in
law: 5.0
wife
Daughter
Son

11. Sex wise Percentage of children
staying with Elderly
No. Children Staying with Male Female
Nil 18.4 55.2
1 54.0 34.4
2 25.6 10.4
3 1.6 --
4 0.4 --

12. Opinion about present financial
position of Elderly
Opinion Percentage
Good 50.8
Better 5.4
Not good 25.0
Poor (require help ) 18.8

13. Past Gross salary drawn and
Present Expenditure of Elderly
Last gross salary drawn at the time of VRS
3
5
0
0
0
.
0
3
2
5
0
0
.
0
3
0
0
0
0
.
0
2
7
5
0
0
.
0
2
5
0
0
0
.
0
2
2
5
0
0
.
0
2
0
0
0
0
.
0
1
7
5
0
0
.
0
1
5
0
0
0
.
0
1
2
5
0
0
.
0
1
0
0
0
0
.
0
7
5
0
0
.
0
5
0
0
0
.
0
2
5
0
0
.
0
Last gross salary drawn at RT
Frequency
30
20
10
0
Std. Dev= 5843.10
Mean = 16815.8
N = 125.00
Monthly expenditure
25000.0
22500.0
20000.0
17500.0
15000.0
12500.0
10000.0
7500.0
5000.0
2500.0
Monthly expenditure
Frequency
40
30
20
10
0
Std. Dev= 4068.31
Mean = 10000.0
N = 128.00

14. Reasons for Not Able to Save Money
Reasons Percentage
(N=81)
Earnings are Just Sufficient 36.7
Savings were Utilized Somewhere Else 18.8
Utilized for Daughter’s Marriage 17.6
Saving spent in House Construction 14.4
Heavy Health Expenditure 12.5

15. Utilizations of Savings by Elderly
and reasons
Are you saving
money

Reasons Percentage
Earning is just sufficient 36.7
Savings utilized some where
else
18.8
Utilized for daughter’s
marriage
17.6
Saving spent in house
construction
14.4
Heavy health expenditure 12.5
No Yes

16. Determining the Health Status of Elderly –Urban area
VARIABLE
CODE
TYPE OF VARIABLES DESCRIPTION SCORES
D1 Dependent Variable:
Current (Perceived) Health status
Based on Perceived Concept
Well Enough (No illness)
Minor and Serious health Problem
1
0
E1 Religion: Non Hindu, Hindu 0, 1
E2 Social Group Other Castes, SC/ST/OBC 0, 1
E3 Household Facility index: Composite index of:
1. Owner ship of the house ,2. Type of house, 3. Separate room,4. Bath
facilities with in the house, 5. Source of drinking Water Facilities, 6.
Toilet facilities, 7. Availability of Electricity, 8. Fuel used for cooking
Score
Min = 2,Max = 16
Poor = 2-6,Better=7-11
Best = 12+
E4 Children Staying with Elderly? Total Number of Children ≤2 = 2 >2=1
E5 Marriage Celebrated in House Yes-1, No-0 1, 0
E6 Monthly Household Expenditure Actual Expenditure in Rupees
E7 Whether Money is Sufficient Yes-1, No-0 1, 0
E8 Opinion about their Present Financial Position Poor, Not so good,
Good, Better, Very Good
0, 1,
2, 3, 4
E9
E10
E11
E12
E13
Health Seeking variables
Whether Elderly Suffering from Any Disease / health problem
Whether Receiving Any Medical care
Type of Medical Care
Main Source of Getting Treatment
Have any Major Obstacles in Getting the Treatment for Ill-health
Yes-1, No -0
Yes=1, No-2
Allopathic, Ayurved,
Homeopathic, Others
Government Hospital,
Private Hospital, Others
Yes-1, No -0
1,0
1,0
0, 1,
2, 3
0,1, 2,3
E14 Person Helped Elderly in the Past during Illness By Self, Only Son Taking Care ,
Daughter and Son-in-law, Both Son
and Daughter ,, Friends, Relatives
and Others
Frequency
E15 Satisfied with Life after Retirement Not Satisfied, Satisfied, Fully
satisfied
1, 2,3

17. Results of Probit Regression Models on
Perceived Health Status among urban elderly
Independent Variables
Model -I Model-II
β S.E. β S.E.
E3 - Household Facility Index -2.6234 5.2824 -- --
E15 - Satisfaction of Present Life after Retirement 0.0218 0.5177 -0.4151 1.0874
E6 - Money is Sufficient for Expenses 0.1794 3.5903 -2.8394 5.0025
E5 - Marriage Celebrated during Last 3 Years -- -- 2.7069 4.0630
Intercept 2.5574 7.2939 -0.8559 3.0929
Estimated Non-response Rate (NET-
RESP)
-- -- 0.0069 0.0223
Pearson Goodness-of-fit (χ2) 1.481; N. S 1.108; N. S.

18. Conclusion
 The economic condition of the elderly (study
population) was very sound in the past life,but after
retirement or loosing employment, the poor economic
status, family burden, and children dependency made
them to neglect their health.
 Majority of elderly who reported their health condition
is ‘not well’; suffer from Diabetics with Blood Pressure
/ Asthma, and some of them with heart problem or
Cancer. The ill-health condition of urban elderly may
be due to past working conditions, pollution or may be
due to tension at work place.

19. Conclusion
 Greater Mumbai, which is a mega city, attracts large number
of migrants from various parts of the country to work in
industry or financial organisations. Loss of job or retirement
made them economically weak and insecure
 Government should make special schemes to provide
housing, free medical facilities to the elderly
 Financial assistance (Old age pension) should be provided to
all registered elderly persons with chronic morbid
conditions.
 Priority should be given to elderly in all medical institutions
(Private or Public) for their health treatment in all Mega
Cities; more so in Greater Mumbai.
 Special plans and policies should be evolved for urban elderly
to enhance their health status.