Abstract: Background: Hypertension in older adults is a major and growing burden for the health care system. Geriatric group is the one which is dependent on others both physically and financially. There has been no systematic screening and treatment of hypertension in older adults which is being important risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Present study was undertaken to determine treatment seeking behavior and health expenditure incurred among elderly hypertensive.
Objectives: To assess health expenditure and treatment seeking pattern towards hypertension among elderly.
Material and methods: A Cross sectional study was conducted among elderly population aged 60 years and above in two urban slums of urban health centre attached to Department of Community Medicine, JJM Medical College, Davangere.
Results: Study was conducted among 263 elders. 56.65% were found to be hypertensives, among which 40.3% were known hypertensives, rest were newly diagnosed cases found during the study. The expenditure per month for hypertension was found to be Rs.187.88±10.84 for medication and Rs 337.43 ± 28.03 for routine checkup and investigations. Among previously diagnosed cases 27.35% had admitted to hospital in past one year for complications of hypertension and had incurred mean expenditure of Rs 4386± 220.
Conclusion: Elders have to be educated and motivated regarding regular health checkup and have to be oriented with newer schemes of Janaushad where medicines are available at lesser price so that seeking treatment and its expenditure should not be a burden among those.
