Heterogeneity in Self-Assessed Health Status Among the Elderly in India

Abstract

The authors examine the observed heterogeneity in self-assessed health (SAH) among the aged in India using data on health and living conditions of the elderly in India from the 60th Round of National Sample Survey (2004-2005). Results indicate that almost one fourth of the old in India rate their health as poor, and there exists considerable interstate variations in SAH ratings. Based on hypotheses framed on the basis of preliminary evidence, the article uses ordered probit models to find that probabilities of reporting poor health are increasingly clustered and more likely among the poor, single, lower-educated, and economically inactive groups among the elderly, with those states with a higher proportion of older people reporting poor subjective health status. Physical mobility appears to have a strong and direct bearing on SAH. The authors also identify unobserved heterogeneity among the states and also among the health rating categories.