India, April 22 -- Older adults in the country travel an average distance of 43.62km for hospitalisation and 14.54km for outpatient care, according to a recent study that highlights how physical distance adversely impacts overall health care delivery and health-seeking behaviours.

In addition, nearly two thirds (67%) of the older adults in urban India availed themselves of outpatient care within 10km as opposed to 28.3km for people in rural and remote areas, displaying a significant urban-rural disparity.

Older adults are defined as individuals above the age of 60.

The authors said this disparity grew disproportionately for in-patient care where the distance and time taken were two times higher for rural sexagenarian than their urban c...