Physiological Health and Wealth Status of Children in Thanjavur Corporation, Tamil Nadu, India-A Geo-Spatial Study
Keywords:
Child health, Physiological health, Wealth Index,Abstract
At every stage of life, health is robustly associated with socio-economic status such as income, educational attainment, and occupational prestige. These relationships evidencing that the children from low-income households weigh less at birth, are more likely to be born prematurely, and are increasingly at greater risk for chronic health conditions as they grow. Childhood health is in turn positively related to a number of later outcomes, including skills, scholastic achievement, and adult economic status. In adults, it is also a well-established fact that individuals with higher incomes enjoy better health outcomes.
Objectives: 1) To study the socio-economic and demographic profile of the children, 2) To identify the wealth and physiological health conditions of children and 3) To examine the spatial patterns of wealth and physiological characteristics of children in Thanjavur Corporation.
Sample: Stratified Random sampling method used for the present study. There are 51 wards, 24 children from each Wards aged between 0 to 6 years, totally 1224 children were selected from Thanjavur Corporation and they are the respondents for the present study.
Methodology: This study is based on the measurements of physiological characteristics such as children’s circumference of head, chest and waist hip, length of arm and leg, and their body weight and height. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated dividing weight and height meter square. Wealth index (WI) was also measured (Kuppuswamy. 2003) with reference to respondent’s family monthly income, educational status and occupation. Then the mean values are inserted in to the ArcGIS software and physiological and wealth index maps of children aged less than six years are generated. This spatial variations and relationships are proved by the Pearson Correlation.Â
Conclusion: There is no significant relationship between the variable head circumference, chest circumference and waist-hip circumference with wealth index, but there is a significant relationship with the variable length of leg and arm length with wealth index. Nowadays, small family norms, noon meal scheme, Anganwadi nutrition food programme and parental care are keeping children in well physiological growths.
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