Faculty, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur College of Nursing, DGHS, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, IndiaIndia
BSc (Hons) Nursing Intern, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur College of Nursing, DGHS, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, IndiaIndia
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Background: The geriatric population in rural Delhi often faces barriers that hinder effective management of common health problems. This survey aimed to identify personal, healthcare system, and socio-economic barriers. Methods: A descriptive survey design was employed, encompassing 120 geriatric individuals aged 60 years and above residing in the rural area of Delhi. Data were collected using a structured rating scale, and the findings were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: Personal barriers included difficulty reading medicine labels (20.00% always, 45.00% sometimes) and inadequate knowledge of illness and treatment (13.33% always, 49.17% sometimes). Healthcare system barriers included inadequate geriatric-friendly services (25.83% always, 35.00% sometimes) and infrequent healthcare utilization (6.67% always, 53.33% sometimes). Socio-economic barriers were dominated by financial dependency (37.50% always, 33.33% sometimes) and lack of social support (10.83% always, 25.83% sometimes). Conclusion: Addressing these barriers requires improved health education, accessible geriatric services, and strengthened family and community support.
Keywords: Geriatric population; Barriers; Healthcare system; Socio-economic factors; Rural Delhi; Geriatricpopulation; Healthcaresystem; Socio-economicfactors; RuralDelhi
India’sgeriatricpopulationisexpandingatanunprecedentedpace,withprojectionsindicatinganincrease from149millionin2022tonearly230millionby2036, representingmorethan14%ofthetotalpopulation[1]. This demographic shift poses significant challenges for healthcare systems, particularly in rural areas whereresourcesarescarceandsystemicgapspersist [2,3]. Chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes,arthritis,andsensoryimpairmentsarehighly prevalent among older adults, requiring sustained managementandaccessibleservices[3,4].
Yet,effectivecareforthegeriatricpopulationisoften hindered by multiple barriers. Personal barriers includelimitedhealthliteracyanddifficultyinfollowingmedicalinstructions; healthcaresystembarriers involveinadequategeriatric-friendlyfacilitiesandirregularutilisation;andsocioeconomicbarriersencompassfinancialdependency,transportdifficulties,and lackofsocialsupport[4,5,6,7].DespitenationalinitiativessuchasAyushmanBharatPM-JAY,inequitiesin accessremainpronounced[8,5,7].
ThissurveyconductedintheruralareaofDelhi,sought toidentifyandanalysebarriersaffectingtheeffective managementofcommonhealthproblemsamongthe geriatricpopulation,therebycontributingevidenceto informpolicyandstrengthengeriatrichealthmanagementinruralIndia.Thestudyadoptedadescriptivesurveydesign.DatawerecollectedinFebruary2026froma totalof120individualsaged60yearsandabove.Inclusioncriteriarequiredparticipantstoberesidentsaged 60yearsandabove,communicativeinHindi,andavailableduringthestudyperiod,whileexclusioncriteria ruledoutthosewhowerecriticallyill,bedridden,mentallychallenged,orunwillingtoprovideinformedconsent.Theresearchwasconductedfollowinginformed consent,confidentialitymeasures,andadministrative authorisation.
Structuredratingscaleswereadministeredthrough interviewstoassesspersonalbarrierssuchaslimited healthliteracy,healthcaresystembarriersincluding pooraccessibilityandinadequateservices,andsocioeconomicbarrierssuchasfinancialdependencyand transportationdifficulties. Thetoolswerevalidated byexperts,translatedforclarity,andtestedforreliabilitythroughinter-observerchecks.DatawereanalysedusingMicrosoftExcelanddescriptivestatistics, includingfrequencyandpercentage,todeterminethe prevalenceanddistributionofbarriers.
Theresultspresentthefrequencyandpercentagedistribution of personal, healthcare system, and socioeconomicbarriersaffectingtheeffectivemanagement ofcommonhealthproblemsamongthegeriatricpopulation.Thesefindingshighlightchallengesatthepersonal,healthcaresystem,andsocio-economiclevels. Thedistributionofparticipantsacrossthesecategories ispresentedinthefollowingtables.
Thefindingsrevealedthatamongthepersonalbarriers, difficultyinreadingmedicinelabelsandhealthinformationandinadequateknowledgeregardingillness andtreatmentwerethemostcommonlyreportedchallenges.Difficultyinunderstandinghealthinformation andpoorawarenessregardingseekingmedicalcare werealsoobservedamongtheparticipants. Incontrast,inadequatefamilysupportforhealthcarevisits, lackofemotionalsupportfromfamilyorcaregivers, andhesitationindisclosinghealthproblemswerereportedlessfrequently.Overall,thesefindingshighlight theneedforimprovedhealtheducation,counselling, andfamilysupporttoenhancetheeffectivemanagementofcommonhealthproblemsamongthegeriatric population(Figure1).
Thefindingsrevealedthatinadequateavailabilityof geriatric-friendlyhealthservicesandinfrequentutilizationofhealthcareserviceswerethemostcommonly reportedhealthcaresystembarriersaffectingtheeffectivemanagementofcommonhealthproblems.Difficultiesinregularmedicationadherenceanddissatisfactionwithtreatmentreceivedwerealsoobserved amongtheparticipants,whereasinadequatecommunicationwithhealthcareproviderswasreportedless frequently. Overall, these findings highlight service availabilityandirregularhealthcareutilizationasmajor barriersamongthegeriatricpopulationinruralareas andemphasizetheneedtoimprovetheaccessibility, continuity,andqualityofgeriatrichealthcareservices (Figure2).
The findings revealed that financial dependency on family members was the most commonly reportedsocio-economicbarrieraffectingtheeffective management of common health problems among the geriatric population. Lack of social support for sharinghealthconcerns,transportationdifficultiesin accessing healthcare services, difficulty in meeting medicalexpenses,andskippingfollow-upvisitsdueto financialconstraintswerealsoreported,althoughless frequently.Overall,thesefindingsindicatethatfinancial dependency and limited social support remain importantsocio-economicbarriersandhighlightthe needtostrengthenfinancialassistance,socialsupport
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
67 55.83%
11 9.17% 24 20.00% 85 70.83%
8 6.67% 45 37.50% 67 55.83%
5 4.17% 20 16.67% 95 79.17%
24 20.00% 54 45.00% 42 35.00%
9 7.50% 37 30.83% 74 61.67%
16 13.33% 59 49.17% 45 37.50%
Thepresentstudyidentifiedkeybarrierstoeffective healthcaremanagementamongolderadults,including poor understanding of health information, diffi- (N=120)
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
herenceamongolderadultsinIndia[9].Financialde- 1.0mm
5 4.17% 17 14.17% 98 81.67%
6 5.00% 41 34.17% 73 60.83%
6 5.00% 36 30.00% 78 65.00%
8 6.67% 64 53.33% 48 40.00%
31 25.83% 42 35.00% 47 39.17% pendencywasanothermajorbarrier,withmanyparticipantsrelyingonfamilymembersforhealthcareexpenses. ThisfindingagreeswithBanerjeeandLalet al, who reported that financial constraints and outof-pockethealthcareexpenditurereducehealthcareseekingbehaviouramongruralolderadults[5,7].Al- (N=120)
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
Always Never
SimilarfindingsbyDasetalindicatethatphysicalaccessibility alone does not ensure healthcare utiliza- 1.0mm
45 37.50% 40 33.33% 35 29.17%
3 2.50% 24 20.00% 93 77.50%
13 10.83% 31 25.83% 76 63.34%
3 2.50% 28 23.33% 89 74.17%
3 2.50% 30 25.00% 87 72.50% tion,asservicequality,affordability,communication, andgeriatric-friendlycarealsoinfluencehealthcareseeking behaviour [5,7,9]. Overall, the findings suggestthatpoorhealthliteracy,financialdependency, andinadequategeriatric-friendlyservicesremainmajorbarrierstooptimalhealthcareamongolderadults inIndia.Strengtheningprimaryhealthcare,improving healthliteracy,expandinggeriatric-friendlyservices, andreducingfinancialbarriersmayenhancehealthcareutilizationandhealthoutcomes[2,3,8].
Thisstudywasconfinedto120membersofthegeriatric populationresidinginruralareaofDelhi,relyingsolely ontheirexpressedviewsandverbalaccounts,making thefindingsentirelydependentonparticipants’selfreportedexperiencesandperceptions.
Thisstudydemonstratesthatpersonal,healthcaresystem,andsocio-economicbarrierssubstantiallyhinder theeffectivemanagementofcommonhealthproblems amongthegeriatricpopulationinruralDelhi.Addressingthesebarriersrequiresimprovedhealthliteracy,accessiblegeriatric-friendlyservices,andstrongerfamily andcommunitysupport. Integratingroutinescreening,counselling,andcommunity-basedoutreachinto primary healthcare is essential to ensure equitable, continuous,andqualityhealthcareforIndia’sageing ruralpopulation.
Theauthor(s)declarenopotentialconflictsofinterest withrespecttoresearch,authorship,and/orpublicationofthisarticle.
Theauthor(s)receivednofinancialsupportfortheresearch,authorship,and/orpublicationofthisarticle.