UPSC Mains 2022 GS3 Q5 — Public Health
The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them? (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What arewhat steps need to be taken
- Scope keywords
- increase in life expectancynewer health challengescommunitysteps need to be taken
- Implicit sub-parts
- Demographic shift: Transition from communicable to non-communicable/degenerative diseases.
- Socio-economic impact: The 'feminization' of aging and the burden on the 'sandwich generation'.
- Systemic gaps: Current healthcare infrastructure's bias toward pediatric and maternal care over geriatric care.
- Financial sustainability: Rising Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) for long-term chronic care.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing too much on general diseases like Malaria/TB instead of geriatric-specific issues like Dementia, Alzheimer's, or frailty.
- Ignoring the 'community' aspect mentioned in the question by only discussing individual or clinical medical treatments.
- Failing to mention the 'Newer' nature of challenges, such as mental health in the elderly or loneliness in nuclear families.
- Writing a generic essay on healthcare without linking it specifically to the increased longevity/elderly demographic.
- Dimensions required
- Epidemiological (disease profile shift)Infrastructure (geriatric wards, palliative care)Financial (insurance, pension schemes)Social (family structures, community support systems)Policy (National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly)
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 20-30 words for a brief intro linking longevity to the 'Silver Revolution'. Spend 60 words identifying specific challenges like NCDs and mental health. Use the remaining 60-70 words for a multi-pronged strategy covering policy, infrastructure, and community-based home care.
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