Rapidly greying Kerala and Bengal have the highest number of sick people: NSO survey

Kerala, which ranks first on many parameters, also ranks first in terms of disease in India. Nearly 40 per cent of its population is sick. Next comes West Bengal, where the number of sick people is around 25 per cent. These interesting statistics have emerged from the latest report of the National Survey Organization (NSS).

The NSO released the 80th round of the National Sample Survey of Health report, stating that the Persons Reporting Illness Ratio (PPRA), or morbidity rate, in Kerala is 39.7 per cent. The overall proportion of people reporting illness in the past 15 days was 39.7 per cent. The average for men is 36.9 per cent, while the average for women is 42.4 per cent. 

The rate is higher in urban areas of Kerala (41.5 per cent) than in rural areas (38.1 per cent). Furthermore, a significant gender gap is also visible; while in rural areas, 40.2 per cent of women reported themselves as sick compared to 35.8 per cent of men, in urban areas this figure rose to 44.6 per cent for women compared to 38.0 per cent for men.

West Bengal has the second highest morbidity rate after Kerala, but the difference is significant compared to Kerala. The morbidity rate in West Bengal is 24.5 per cent. Similar to Kerala, the reporting of illness is higher in urban areas (29.8 per cent) than in rural areas (22.2 per cent), and more women (27.4 per cent) are reported as ill than men (21.7 per cent). 

Andhra Pradesh is also among the states with a morbidity rate of over 20 per cent, with a rate of 21.1 per cent. Here, too, women reported higher rates of illness than men, with a 23.5 per cent rate for women compared to 18.6 per cent for men. 

According to the NSO report, states and Union Territories reporting disease more than the national average (13.1 per cent) include Kerala (39.7 per cent), West Bengal (24.5 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (21.1 per cent), Goa (18.7 per cent), Tamil Nadu (18.5 per cent), Odisha (15.4 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (15.3 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (15.2 per cent), Telangana (15.0 per cent), Punjab (14.4 per cent), Assam (14.4 per cent) and Jammu and Kashmir (13.6 per cent).

The states with lower rates than the national average include Bihar (9.9 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (9.7 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (9.5 per cent), Jharkhand (9.2 per cent) and Chhattisgarh (8.8 per cent).

Why Kerala has the highest morbidity rate 

Two factors are believed to contribute to Kerala’s highest morbidity rate. Kerala is reportedly currently undergoing a significant demographic transition, housing the nation’s fastest-growing population. According to a comprehensive scientific study published on PubMed Central, the state’s high life expectancy results in the highest share of elderly people, who naturally become more susceptible to chronic and long-term illnesses as they age.

Additionally, improved living standards and changing dietary habits have led to Kerala’s high risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. This dual health burden (advancing age and lifestyle-related chronic diseases) contributes to Kerala’s morbidity rate being much higher than the national average.

Moreover, the primary reason for the higher morbidity rate in Kerala is not the actual high incidence of disease, but rather the exceptional health awareness of people there regarding disease.

A research paper  by the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research has shown that in a highly literate society like Kerala, people immediately report themselves as sick even for minor illnesses and actively seek treatment. In contrast, in states with low literacy, people do not report illness until the condition becomes serious. Furthermore, Kerala’s robust and accessible primary healthcare infrastructure ensures prompt patient registration, leading to the highest morbidity figures in national surveys.

Bengal is greying too 

The proportion of the elderly population (over 60 years of age) in West Bengal has increased rapidly, reaching approximately 12 to 14 per cent of the state’s total population according to current estimates. Demographical analysis  published by the Social Research Foundation makes it clear that the state is rapidly transforming into an “aging society.” This large aging population has naturally led to a significant increase in age-related acute and chronic illnesses, such as joint pain, respiratory disorders, and vision impairment, pushing up the state’s overall morbidity rate in national statistical surveys.

Why is Andhra at third position?  

Andhra Pradesh’s demographics are also rapidly shifting towards an aging society, which is more vulnerable to age-related diseases. According to one study, approximately 64 per cent of the state’s elderly population over the age of 60 suffers from some form of chronic illness. The assessment found that musculoskeletal (joint and bone pain) ailments, hypertension, and vision impairment are the most common illnesses, and approximately 25 per cent of the elderly population suffers from more than one illness. This large aging population and their better health reporting make Andhra Pradesh the state with the third highest morbidity rate in the country.