Prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among elderly persons in rural and urban areas

Abstract

Background:Ageing has been an inevitable part of human life and earlier ageing was equated with mortality and morbidity, but now healthy and active ageing is the goal.By 2030, it is estimated that one in six people globally will be aged 60 years, and by 2050, this ratio will increase to one in every five people. Concurrently, the number of individuals aged 60 years and over is anticipated to increase from 605 million to 2 billion during this period. Recognizing the growing burden of geriatric health and social issues in India, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Government of India, conducted a cross-sectional, community-based study of the elderly population aged 60 years and above at 10 different sites across various states and union territories of India. India is also witnessing a notable increase in its elderly population, with figures rising from 5% in 2001 to 8.14% in 2011 and projected to reach 8.94% by 2016 and 19% by 2050. In India, anemia is a major public health concern across all age groups, yet its impact on the elderly often goes unnoticed.