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Health and Well-Being of the Elderly People Before and After COVID-19 Outbreak: A Survival Challenge in West Bengal, India

In: In Quest of Humane Development

Author

Listed:
  • Priya Biswas

    (P. N. Das College)

  • Sanchita Roy

    (Vidyasagar University
    Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College)

  • Debaprasad Sarkar

    (Barrackpore Rastraguru Surendranath College)

Abstract

In the last century, India has witnessed a rapid increase in the elderly population with the significant interstate disparity depending upon the pace of demographic transition. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic might create a finite change in the economic health and multidimensional uneasiness by the death toll of experienced human capital from the large proportion of elderly people, with co-morbidities. The present study systematically assesses the relative importance of socio-economic factors and other factors related to the health and well-being of elderly people residing inside and outside old-age home, before and during COVID-19 lockdown. The health and well-being of elderly people have been derived through the Overall Health Utility Index (HUI) method using primary information on different physical and mental attributes from 458 elderly respondents in and around Kolkata (265 residing outside and 193 residing inside). During COVID-19 lockdown and unlock process (April–June,’20), a cross-sectional phone call survey has been conducted on health and well-being from 98 elderly (20% from the previous sample). A comparative picture of health and well-being between elderly people residing inside and outside old-age home in West Bengal, India, has shown that the socio-economic factors have the highest importance. The financial insecurity, social isolation, abuse, problem with assets, loneliness, frustration, and insufficiency of essentials including medical needs have been predominating factors for survival challenges in their present life of elderly. Elderly who stay at old-age home are suffering more in terms of survival before and during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the absence or insufficiency of social security measures compared to elderly who stay with their family. The health and well-being of elderly have been sacrificed a lot during COVID-19, compared to pre-pandemic situation mainly due to inaccessibility of healthcare, prescribed food, and supplements; problem in receiving pension/remittance; and social distancing protocol. Better social relations with suitable social pension, door to door ration and medicine supply, health check-up, etc. under public control could improve the well-being of elderly even in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Priya Biswas & Sanchita Roy & Debaprasad Sarkar, 2022. "Health and Well-Being of the Elderly People Before and After COVID-19 Outbreak: A Survival Challenge in West Bengal, India," India Studies in Business and Economics, in: Byasdeb Dasgupta & Prasenjit Sarkhel & Archita Ghosh & Bishakha Ghosh (ed.), In Quest of Humane Development, chapter 0, pages 137-163, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:isbchp:978-981-16-9579-7_9
    DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-9579-7_9
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Elderly people; Socio-economic correlates; COVID-19 protocol; Health and well-being;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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