Employment pattern and health profile of elderly

Growing financial needs of elderly due to urbanization, increased longevity and disintegrating joint family culture is pushing the elderly to work even in later years of their life.

The aim of the study was to explore the employment pattern and health profile of the older people. Methods and materials: This descriptive study was conducted in selected rural and urban areas of Ludhiana, Punjab. Convenience sampling technique was used to select one hundred and fifty elderly subjects of age greater than sixty years. Data was collected using a semi structured interview schedule and analyzed using SPSS 17.0. Chi square test was used to analyse the correlation between employment status and health problems in elderly.

The study revealed that nearly half of the older people i.e. 77 (47.4%) studied up to senior secondary and 66 (44%) were illiterates. About two third of the subjects (66%) were not employed and 20% of them were self-employed and only 14% were employed on payment basis. Nearly one third of the subjects (38%) complained one or other health problem. There was no significant relationship found between present employment status and health profile of elderly (p>0.05).

Only few elderly were working on paid employment. Only one third of them were having health problems and there was no significant relationship in employment pattern and health profile of elderly.