‘Young India fears heart disease as the biggest health risk in old age’ says Bupa’s Health Pulse 2010, a new international healthcare survey, analyzing the key health care areas of Ageing, Chronic Disease and Health & Wellbeing across 12 different countries.

The first part of this series - 'Ageing', released on Thursday by Max Bupa Health Insurance, reveals that youth in India between the age group of 18-24 years, fears heart diseases most in old age (25 per cent) followed by diabetes (24 per cent) and cancer (16 per cent). In the other 12 countries where the survey was conducted, namely Germany, France, Mexico, Australia, United Kingdom, Brazil, China, United States, Spain, Italy and Russia, cancer and dementia generate the greatest levels of public anxiety (34 per cent and 23 per cent of respondents respectively).

The research, which quizzed over 12,262 adults in 12 countries on their attitudes and perceptions of ageing, also reveals a consistently upbeat world-wide outlook with just under three-quarters of over-65s saying they don’t consider themselves to be old and nearly as many (67 per cent) saying that they still feel healthy. The report reveals that people across the globe continue to feel ‘young at heart’ even when they are in their 70s and 80s. India, with 53 per cent of respondents say that they take ageing in their stride as everyone gets old eventually, is most upbeat about ageing across the 12 countries surveyed, as compared to Russia, Italy and Spain who worry the most about old age.

Commenting on the Bupa Health Pulse 2010 survey findings, Dr. Damien Marmion, chief executive of Max Bupa Health Insurance said, “the positive attitude of Indians towards ageing is something to celebrate, but ageing without adequate provision is a serious concern given the rising medical costs in the country. The introduction of the ‘any age enrolment’ feature combined with assured renewal for life to Indian health insurance industry is an extension of our commitment to provide quality health insurance solutions to all, especially to the elderly in India. ”

The study also reveals significantly different beliefs in the appropriate caring responsibilities of the family across countries. In India, strong family ties drive the belief among 73 per cent respondents stating that their family members will take care of them in old age. Nine per cent believe in insurance as a means of financial support which is more than reliance on state support (3 per cent) for their old age. In contrast, 29 per cent of China respondents rely on the state playing the main role in supporting older people. Globally, the greatest reliance on support from the family was observed in the three middle-income economies (Brazil, India and Mexico) and the three European countries (Italy, Spain and France). Dependence on informal care networks could see a change in the times to come given the changing cultural fabric of modern India, with increasing nuclear family structures and more women joining the workforce. Thus, there is an imperative need to be self reliant to take care of oneself in old age in the times to come.

The Bupa Health Pulse survey also reveals that 51 per cent respondents across the 12 countries have not prepared for old age, followed by 36 per cent who have not thought about it till now and 19 percent state that they would deal with it when the need will arise. Not surprisingly, a significant proportion of respondents felt they would need to draw from their liquid assets in order to meet their care costs. The rates were particularly high in India (62 per cent), Mexico (57 per cent), Russia (49 per cent), US (43 per cent), and China (41 per cent), countries characterizing lower state involvement in the provision of long-term care and where formal long-term care is often purchased out of pocket.