Sufferings of Elderly Rural Women Due to Covid-19 in Communities of a Remote Region: An Observational Study

Background: COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented impact on society globally. Objective: Study was conducted to know about sufferings experienced by rural elderly women in a remote hilly region. Methodology: Community-based, cross-sectional, observational study included 4500 randomly selected tribal women of ≥50, who resided in 140 villages and consented to participate. Face-to-face interviews of participants were conducted, for 15-30 minutes, using a semi-structured questionnaire regarding sufferings of elderly women during COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Of 4500 women interviewed, majority (47.2%) were 50-59 years old, low educated (40.4%), agriculture labourers (44.1%) and of lower economic class (53.8%). Of all participants, 73.5% reported change in everyday life, 25.9% change in meals, 30.7% in work and working environment and 39.5% in health care. Of all the women interviewed, 45.9% reported physical violence (PV), majority (74.1%) by husbands, 0.4% suffered sexual violence (SV). Modes of PV were mostly slapping, hitting, or kicking. Of all the women, who suffered PV, SV, and majority informed their family members, but only 7.0% informed police, however 98.6% who suffered sought healthcare. Socio-demographic factors like age, education, economic class, and occupation had a significant relationship with sufferings of women during pandemic. Conclusion: Covid -19 Pandemic had significant impact on rural elderly women’s lives, 45.9% and 0.4% of women respectively reported having suffered PV and SV at home during pandemic. It is therefore necessary to generate awareness, formulate laws, policies for protection of elderly women during such pandemic.