National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly MCQs With Answer

Introduction: The National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) is a landmark public health initiative in India focusing on geriatric care, preventive services, and rehabilitation for the ageing population. For B.Pharm students, understanding NPHCE is essential because pharmacists play a vital role in geriatric pharmacotherapy, medication review, polypharmacy management, adverse drug reaction monitoring, and adherence counselling. Key concepts include geriatric clinics, community outreach, palliative care, Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), and integration of pharmacy services into primary, secondary and tertiary care. Familiarity with NPHCE strengthens clinical decision-making and promotes safe, evidence-based medication use for older adults. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. What is the primary objective of the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE)?

• To provide free medicines to all age groups
• To provide accessible, affordable and high-quality health care services to the elderly
• To replace primary healthcare for rural populations
• To fund private hospitals for geriatric research

Correct Answer: To provide accessible, affordable and high-quality health care services to the elderly

Q2. In NPHCE, which age is commonly considered as the threshold for defining ‘elderly’ in India?

• 50 years
• 55 years
• 60 years
• 65 years

Correct Answer: 60 years

Q3. When was the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) launched?

• 1999
• 2005
• 2010
• 2018

Correct Answer: 2010

Q4. Which of the following is a core service component under NPHCE?

• Cosmetic surgery for seniors
• Geriatric outpatient clinics and panels
• Exclusive tertiary care for children
• Only financial welfare

Correct Answer: Geriatric outpatient clinics and panels

Q5. Which multidisciplinary assessment is emphasized under NPHCE to evaluate medical, functional and psychosocial needs?

• Cardiac stress test
• Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)
• Routine blood glucose
• Visual acuity screening only

Correct Answer: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)

Q6. Which role is specifically important for pharmacists within NPHCE implementation?

• Performing all surgical procedures
• Medication review, counselling and monitoring for adverse drug reactions
• Issuing driving licenses to elderly
• Providing only immunizations

Correct Answer: Medication review, counselling and monitoring for adverse drug reactions

Q7. Polypharmacy in geriatrics is commonly defined as the concurrent use of how many or more medications?

• Two or more
• Three or more
• Five or more
• Ten or more

Correct Answer: Five or more

Q8. Which guideline is important for pharmacists when reviewing potentially inappropriate medications in older adults?

• WHO Surgical Checklist
• Beers Criteria
• CDC Pediatric Guidelines
• Adult Vaccination Schedule only

Correct Answer: Beers Criteria

Q9. Which level of healthcare under NPHCE is expected to provide specialized geriatric services and training, including inpatient care?

• Community Health Worker posts
• Primary Health Centres
• Secondary care hospitals
• Tertiary care centers with geriatric wards

Correct Answer: Tertiary care centers with geriatric wards

Q10. Home-based care under NPHCE primarily aims to:

• Replace hospitals entirely
• Provide care for elders with mobility or chronic care needs in their homes
• Provide only financial assistance
• Offer cosmetic services at home

Correct Answer: Provide care for elders with mobility or chronic care needs in their homes

Q11. Which geriatric syndrome should pharmacists routinely consider when evaluating older patients under NPHCE?

• Only infectious diseases
• Falls, frailty, incontinence and cognitive impairment
• Only pediatric conditions
• Sports injuries

Correct Answer: Falls, frailty, incontinence and cognitive impairment

Q12. How can pharmacists contribute to reducing polypharmacy under NPHCE?

• By increasing prescriptions indiscriminately
• By conducting medication reconciliation, deprescribing and counselling
• By refusing to dispense medicines to elderly
• By substituting all medicines with herbal remedies

Correct Answer: By conducting medication reconciliation, deprescribing and counselling

Q13. Which public health activity under NPHCE helps early detection of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the elderly?

• Mass screening camps for hypertension, diabetes and common NCDs
• Only cosmetic screening
• Screening exclusively for children
• Random household visiting without screening

Correct Answer: Mass screening camps for hypertension, diabetes and common NCDs

Q14. Palliative and long-term care in NPHCE focuses on:

• Curative intensive care exclusively
• Symptom control, quality of life and supportive care for serious illness
• Only financial planning
• Only rehabilitation for athletes

Correct Answer: Symptom control, quality of life and supportive care for serious illness

Q15. Which monitoring activity is a pharmacist expected to perform for elderly patients on multiple drugs?

• Monitor for drug-drug interactions and adverse drug reactions
• Only monitoring blood pressure at home
• Only perform injections
• Refuse to advise on drug interactions

Correct Answer: Monitor for drug-drug interactions and adverse drug reactions

Q16. Training and capacity building under NPHCE includes:

• Training only politicians
• Capacity building of healthcare providers, including geriatric training for pharmacists and nurses
• Training for landscape gardeners
• No training activities

Correct Answer: Capacity building of healthcare providers, including geriatric training for pharmacists and nurses

Q17. Which documentation practice is essential for medication safety in elderly patients under NPHCE?

• No documentation required
• Accurate medication history, reconciliation and documentation of allergies
• Only verbal orders without record
• Only keeping documents with the family

Correct Answer: Accurate medication history, reconciliation and documentation of allergies

Q18. Integration of pharmacists into geriatric clinics primarily helps to:

• Increase non-evidence-based prescriptions
• Improve rational drug use, adherence and reduce medication errors
• Only sell over-the-counter supplements
• Replace physicians in diagnosis

Correct Answer: Improve rational drug use, adherence and reduce medication errors

Q19. Which of the following is a commonly used screening tool for cognitive impairment in the elderly?

• PHQ-9 for depression only
• Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
• APGAR score
• Body Mass Index (BMI)

Correct Answer: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

Q20. Under NPHCE, community outreach activities typically include:

• Door-to-door health education, screening camps and referral to geriatric services
• Only distribution of food packets
• Exclusive urban-only campaigns
• Sports competitions

Correct Answer: Door-to-door health education, screening camps and referral to geriatric services

Q21. Which economic consideration is particularly relevant for medication selection in elderly patients under NPHCE?

• Only brand preference
• Cost-effectiveness, affordability and access to essential medicines
• Only most expensive drugs
• Only non-formulary medicines

Correct Answer: Cost-effectiveness, affordability and access to essential medicines

Q22. Rehabilitation services under NPHCE aim to:

• Promote functional independence and mobility in older adults
• Provide only cosmetic treatments
• Exclude physical therapy
• Focus solely on pediatric rehabilitation

Correct Answer: Promote functional independence and mobility in older adults

Q23. Which indicator would best measure NPHCE program performance at a facility level?

• Number of pediatric vaccines given
• Number of geriatric outpatient visits, screening coverage, and referral uptake
• Only staff attendance records
• Number of cafeterias in the hospital

Correct Answer: Number of geriatric outpatient visits, screening coverage, and referral uptake

Q24. Pharmacovigilance in the elderly is crucial because older adults:

• Have higher drug clearance always
• Have altered pharmacokinetics, multiple comorbidities and higher risk of ADRs
• Never experience side effects
• Require no dosage adjustments

Correct Answer: Have altered pharmacokinetics, multiple comorbidities and higher risk of ADRs

Q25. Which action supports rational use of medicines in geriatric public health programs like NPHCE?

• Empiric polypharmacy for all patients
• Evidence-based prescribing, generic substitution and patient counselling
• Prohibiting patient education
• Automated dispensing without review

Correct Answer: Evidence-based prescribing, generic substitution and patient counselling

Q26. The use of mobile medical units in NPHCE primarily addresses:

• Entertainment for seniors
• Access to geriatric screening and basic care in remote areas
• Only administrative tasks
• Construction of new hospitals

Correct Answer: Access to geriatric screening and basic care in remote areas

Q27. Which aspect is key when counselling elderly patients about medicines?

• Using complex medical jargon
• Clear instructions, simplified regimens, adherence aids and checking understanding
• Ignoring hearing or cognitive limitations
• Providing information only to caregivers and not patients

Correct Answer: Clear instructions, simplified regimens, adherence aids and checking understanding

Q28. Under NPHCE, referral pathways are important to:

• Keep patients within a single clinic only
• Ensure timely transfer from community to primary, secondary and tertiary geriatric care
• Only for administrative purposes
• Prevent access to specialized care

Correct Answer: Ensure timely transfer from community to primary, secondary and tertiary geriatric care

Q29. A pharmacist identifying duplication of therapy in an elderly patient should:

• Ignore it and dispense as prescribed
• Communicate with prescriber, recommend rationalization and document the intervention
• Stop all medicines without consultation
• Only inform the patient and not the healthcare team

Correct Answer: Communicate with prescriber, recommend rationalization and document the intervention

Q30. Which research or data activity strengthens implementation of NPHCE from a pharmacy perspective?

• Randomly reducing medication stocks
• Operational research on geriatric drug utilization, ADR patterns and intervention outcomes
• Only marketing surveys for medicines
• Eliminating record keeping

Correct Answer: Operational research on geriatric drug utilization, ADR patterns and intervention outcomes

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