Yuwaah Connect | Digital Desk
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee's research scholar, Rishika Tomar, daughter of Dr. Savita Tomar from Rambagh Colony, Baghpat, presented her research paper at the European Association for Population Studies (EAPS) Conference 2024 held at Edinburgh University, Scotland.
Rishika Tomar's research paper, titled "Gender Disparities in Healthcare Expenditures in Indian Households," offers an in-depth analysis of gender-based differences in healthcare spending within Indian families. Her research highlights that self-reported illness rates are higher among Indian women compared to men, yet the expenditure on hospitalization for women is significantly lower than that for men. This disparity points to various underlying social factors and inequalities.
Key findings of her research include the major causes behind this disparity, such as elderly women facing catastrophic expenditures, lack of health insurance, and the tendency of many families to not take women's illnesses seriously, resulting in inadequate medical care. In many cases, elderly women are deprived of necessary health services, their ailments often being dismissed as normal old age issues. The study also emphasizes that the absence of health insurance in Indian households contributes to the financial burden directly falling on families. When families encounter catastrophic expenses, they often cut back on healthcare spending for women, further impacting their health.
While presenting her research at the conference, Rishika Tomar not only highlighted this critical issue but also proposed several significant recommendations to address it. She advocated for collaborative efforts between governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure women receive adequate health services and to expand the reach of health insurance to the general population. Additionally, she stressed the need to raise societal awareness so that women's health issues are taken seriously.
Rishika Tomar's research paper not only sheds light on gender disparities in healthcare within Indian society but also underscores the need for broader discussions on this issue. Her contribution was appreciated at the EAPS Conference 2024 and was recognized as a significant step towards improving healthcare in Indian households.
