Socio-demographic correlates of self-rated health among Santals of rural West Bengal, India

Authors : Bhubon Mohan DAS, Subrata K. ROY

Pages : 1-13

View : 16 | Download : 5

Publication Date : 2014-09-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Objectives: Self-rated health insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(SRH); is considered as a subjective measure of health and widely used in population surveys. The present study aimed to see the socio-demographic characteristics and reported morbidity wise variation of self-rated health and to examine the association between socio-demographic characteristics and self-rated health of the rural Santals. Methods: Using a standard household census schedule socio-demographic data were collected from 425 adult Santals of both sexes of Bankura district, West Bengal. SRH data were collected asking people to choose their current health status within five possible options: ‘very good,’ ‘good,’ ‘average,’ ‘bad,’ and ‘very bad.’ Univariate and multivariate forward stepwise logistic regression analyses used to examine the association between SRH and sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Majority of the study participant rated their health as ‘average’ followed by ‘bad,’ ‘good,’ and ‘very bad’ irrespective of sex. Results of univariate logistic regression analyses showed that SRH has significant association with age group, level of education, occupation types, marital status, house type, and sex. Elderly insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OR= 6.78); and middle-aged insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OR=2.52); individuals were more likely to report ‘bad’ health compared to young individuals. Participants with formal education i.e. from primary level insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OR= 0.42); to higher secondary and above insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OR= 0.04); were less likely to report ‘bad’ health compared to nonliterate participants. Unmarried people insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OR= 0.36); were less likely to report ‘bad’ health, while widowed/ divorced/ separated individuals insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OR = 2.87); were more likely to report ‘bad’ health compared to married individuals. Males insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(OR= 0.67); were less likely to report ‘bad’ SRH than females. Conclusion: SRH cannot be used as single item measure of health because such rating is always influenced by several socio-demographic factors especially among socioeconomically disadvantageous community. 
Keywords : Self rated health, reported morbidity, socio demographic characteristics, rural Santal