Distribution of ailing elderly India 2017-2018, by state

According to a survey in India, the share of elderly population that responded as ailing was the highest in Kerala among females with around 63 percent in 2017. The share of males who responded as ill was over 61 percent during the same time period.

Demographics

Understanding the size and composition of India’s population through the use of key demographic metrics is indispensable for planning purposes. India’s population has been steadily increasing over the years. This growth rate can be attributed to reduced death rates in the country as a result of the implementation of diverse health interventions since 1981.

Economic status

The old-age dependency metric is used to gauge the ratio between the old-age and the working-age demographic. A higher ratio is suggestive of financial stress on the working population and consequently the economy. By inference, this would also indicate a drop in the quality of health care and pensions for the elderly. In India, this ratio is projected to increase to over 20 percent in the next decade.