Polymorbidity and Health Outcomes Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Evidence from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India
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Abstract
Polymorbidity is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in the aging population. The present study analyses the prevalence and explores the determinants of polymorbidity among middle-aged and older adults. The study utilizes the 2017–2018 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI 2017–2018), a national representative dataset on health conditions of people aged 45 years and above, to study the relative risk estimates. The analysis uses the multinomial logit model (MNL) with their relative risk ratios (RRR). The findings of RRR suggest that the risk of polymorbidity significantly depends on parents’ medical history, residing in a front-runner state, and consultation at healthcare centers in both middle-aged and older adults. The prevalence of severe polymorbidity is higher among well-educated individuals and rural residents. The richer household carries a lower risk of polymorbidity, and the older adults from the general caste category are at higher risk of severe polymorbidity. The findings aim to redress the problems attached to the old age population in India. The paper recommends promoting preventive and precautionary attitudes over curative attitudes through health policies by introducing a patient-oriented and disease-centered approach to healthcare provision in India.
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