Healthcare access remains unequal for women

More than 14 per cent of females in India reported an ailment compared to about 12 per cent of males. Yet, hospitalisation rates were higher among males.

In its assessment of developed economies and European countries, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported that women and girls face higher rates of poor “self-reported physical and mental health, specific gendered risks related to pregnancy and childbirth, lower rates of participation in physical activity and sports, and poorer experiences of healthcare, including unmet healthcare needs and misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis”.

Persistent gender bias in healthcare remains as prevalent in developed countries as it is in the developing world. The recently released Survey on Household Social Consumption: Health, conducted by India’s National Statistics Office, once again underscores the enduring gender disparities in access to healthcare in India.

WOMEN’S UNMET HEALTHCARE NEEDS

According to the survey, 14.4 per cent of females reported an ailment compared to 11.8 per cent of males. Yet, hospitalisation rates were higher among males. The contrast suggests that women’s healthcare needs are more likely to go unmet and that their health conditions may be underdiagnosed or undertreated.

Hospitalisation rates, however, are higher among urban residents, which may be attributable to greater availability and accessibility of healthcare infrastructure in urban centres compared to rural areas.

According to the survey, the gender gap in hospitalisation is particularly pronounced among those aged 60 and above. The hospitalisation rate for males in this age group is 9.3 per cent, compared to just 6.9 per cent for females. This disparity points to the heightened vulnerability of older women and may reflect barriers to accessing timely and adequate healthcare. The hospitalisation rate is calculated by dividing the annual number of hospital admissions (excluding childbirth) by the total population.

Cardiovascular diseases continue to be the leading cause of hospitalisation among individuals aged 60 and above, followed by infections, eye ailments, and psychiatric conditions. The survey also reveals that psychiatric and neurological disorders rank among the leading causes of hospitalisation across all age groups, highlighting the growing burden of mental and neurological health conditions.

Apart from senior citizens, young people aged 15–29 also emerge as a vulnerable group concerning mental health conditions.

The survey also highlights the continued dominance of private healthcare providers. Despite being considerably more expensive than public facilities, private hospitals remain the preferred source of care for both rural and urban populations. Nearly 58 per cent of rural residents and 65 per cent of urban residents seek healthcare from private hospitals.

The average out-of-pocket expenditure incurred for hospitalisation is Rs 6,631 in government hospitals, compared with more than Rs 50,000 in private healthcare facilities, underscoring the substantial cost differential between the two sectors.

The survey was carried out between January and December 2025 and covered around 1.4 lakh households nationwide.

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