Why in news?
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru launched the BHARAT study to develop India‑specific biomarkers for healthy ageing, recognising that most existing health data are based on Western populations.
Understanding healthy ageing
- Concept: Healthy ageing emphasises maintaining physical, mental and functional wellbeing rather than simply living longer. Biological age (reflected in organ health) often differs from chronological age.
- Rising elderly population: By 2050, one in five Indians will be over 60. Diseases like Parkinson’s and dementia are projected to rise sharply, and women tend to live longer but with higher disability rates.
- Economic and social impacts: A growing elder population strains health systems and pension schemes; only 28 per cent of elderly Indians have any formal pension.
- Healthcare gaps: Less than 5 per cent of primary health centres provide geriatric outpatient services; rural elders particularly lack access to care.
Why focus on healthy ageing?
- Demographic transition: India’s ageing rate is accelerating faster than in many OECD countries, creating an urgent need for elder‑care infrastructure.
- Mismatched diagnostics: Western lab values may not reflect Indian genetics or nutrition (e.g., B12 levels are often low due to vegetarian diets without signifying pathology).
- Social security void: Limited pension and health insurance coverage leave many seniors vulnerable.
- Rural–urban divide and intergenerational strain: Rural elders face transport and healthcare barriers; smaller family sizes reduce traditional care networks.
Challenges
- Data scarcity: India lacks longitudinal studies on ageing biomarkers; most datasets come from Western cohorts.
- Cultural resistance: Elders may distrust hospitals, screening and AI‑based tools.
- Funding and infrastructure: Geriatric healthcare receives limited budget allocations and there are few dedicated wards.
- Environmental and nutritional burdens: Early‑life infections and malnutrition can predispose adults to early chronic disease.
Initiatives & way forward
- BHARAT study: Building India’s first bio‑bank of ageing indicators across diverse ecological and ethnic groups.
- National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE): Establishing geriatric clinics and home‑care services.
- Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI): Tracking elder health and social trends.
- Health insurance schemes: Schemes like RSBY and AB PM‑JAY include coverage for common elder illnesses.
- Way forward: Create Indian‑specific health benchmarks; scale up the BHARAT study nationally; use AI for predictive diagnostics; and launch geriatric literacy campaigns through community health workers.
Addressing healthy ageing requires context‑appropriate diagnostics, social security reforms and culturally sensitive health promotion.