Impact of Socio–Economic Factors on  Health Determinants of Primary School  Children of Urban Vadodara

Tanu Shree Singh; Mini Sheth

Volume : III, Issue : II, February - 2014

Impact of Socio–Economic Factors on Health Determinants of Primary School Children of Urban Vadodara

Tanu Shree Singh, Mini Sheth

Abstract :

The study was undertaken to assess various factors associated with nutritional status and morbidity profile of under nourished primary school children of urban Vadodara. A cross-sectional study design was used to select 218 children (5-12 years) from a primary school of urban Vadodara, who were subjected to anthropometric measurements and determination of nutritional status using WHO standards of BMI for age and gender. Further, Parents of 161 children were interviewed for their socio economic status (SES); morbidity profile; immunization and past east-feeding practices (EBP) using pre-tested semi structured questionnaire. Results showed that 71 % of the primary school children in the study were under nourished with more boys than girls. Undernutrition and diarrhoea were significantly associated with various socio-demographic variables such as parent�s literacy levels, immunization status, exclusive east-feeding and total family income. Hence, socio-economic factors predicted a strong positive association with the health determinants of primary school going children.