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Health status is an important factor that has a significant impact on the quality of life of elderly population. In view of this fact the present study was planned to investigate the chronic morbidity among randomly selected 414 elderly women from Coimbatore city (Tamil Nadu). These elderly women were asked individually regarding their health and made to give information about the illness by which they suffer and also the duration of that particular illness. The results show that slightly more than half of the elderly women were suffering from poor vision/cataract and rheumatism/arthritis closely followed by blood pressure. On the other hand, two-fifths (39%) of elderly women were suffering from lung problem, ulcer or gastric, heart disease, nervous disorder, back pain, skin disease, kidney trouble, dental problem and tuberculosis. Elderly Women who were suffering from 1 and 2 or more chronic morbidities were significantly (p<0.01) higher among old-old in age than the young-old respondents. Women who were widows, had two or more sons and were living with children/others also appeared to be suffering from more number of chronic problems than their counterparts. Conversely, the number of women who were suffering from chronic morbidities was lower among those who were educated up to high school and above; they belonged to higher income family brackets and higher Standard of Living Index of households than those who were illiterates, and belonged to lower income family group and low SLI of households. On the basis of these findings the author also suggested suitable policy implications for future health related planning for elderly women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]