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Socio-economic inequalities in child health: Recent evidence from India
Authors: W. Joe; U. S. Mishra; K. Navaneetham
Source: Global Public Health, Volume 5, Issue 5 September 2010 , pages 493 - 508 DOI: 10.1080/17441690903213774
Topic(s): Child health
Health equity
Inequality
Country: Asia
  India
Published: SEP 2010
Abstract: Abstract This paper analyses the Indian National Family Health Survey (2005-2006) data to present certain broad descriptive features of child health inequalities in India and their distribution across well-defined socio-economic groups classified by gender and sector-of-origin, and their dispersal across space. This study finds that poorer sections of the population are beleaguered with ill health whether in the quest for child survival or due to anxieties pertaining to child nutrition. The concentration index value for the indicators of under-five mortality, full immunisation and underweight outcomes at the national level is calculated to be -0.159, 0.204 and -0.158, respectively. The other disturbing finding here is that there are reigning regional and gender disadvantages irrespective of the developmental status of the State. This study would not only help policymakers to recognise these persistent inequalities but also would help understand health performance at the state and regional levels thus facilitating targeting intervention. Keywords: child health; health inequality; relative disadvantages; India; NFHS-3