Harsh Vardhan releases report on longitudinal ageing study of India

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday released the report on Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI) Wave-1.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday released the report on Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI) Wave-1. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, LASI is a full-scale national survey of scientific investigation of the health, economic, and social determinants and consequences of population ageing in India. The National Programme for Health Care of Elderly, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has undertaken the LSAI through International Institute for Population Sciences, (IIPS), Mumbai in collaboration with Harvard School of Public Health, University of Southern California, USA, Dte. GHS, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and National Institute on Ageing.

The LASI, Wave 1 covered a baseline sample of 72,250 individuals aged 45 and above and their spouses including 31,464 elderly persons aged 60 and above and 6,749 oldest-old persons aged 75 and above from all States and Union Territories of India, excluding Sikkim. Expressing his happiness on the release of the report, Vardhan said, "It is India's first and the world's largest ever survey that provides a longitudinal database for designing policies and programmes for the older population in the broad domains of social, health, and economic well-being."

"The evidence from LASI will be used to further strengthen and broaden the scope of National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly and also help in establishing a range of preventive and health care programmes for older population and most vulnerable among them", he added. Highlighting the importance of the LASI, he said, "In 2011 census, the 60+ population accounted for 8.6 per cent of India's population, accounting for 103 million elderly people. Growing at around 3 per cent annually, the number of elderly age population will rise to 319 million in 2050.75 per cent of the elderly people suffer from one or the other chronic disease. 40 per cent of the elderly people have one or the other disability and 20 per cent have issues related to mental health. This report will provide base for national and state-level programmes and policies for elderly population."

The Minister affirmed that the LASI data will assist in addressing the broad aims of the Decade of Healthy Ageing and will lead to convergence within various national health programs and also promote inter-sectoral coordination with other line Departments/Ministries. (ANI)

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