ABSTRACT
The role of hostels in the educational advancement of backward classes is long recognized. In closed homes like hostels, the morbid conditions especially infectious diseases like skin diseases and respiratory diseases tend to rapidly spread among others and become difficult to control. There is increased nutritional demand in this age group because of pubertal changes. It has been found that several school children especially from socially backward sections of the community suffer from nutritional health problems as well as other physical health problems. We wanted to evaluate the morbidity pattern among boys residing in social welfare hostels.METHODSThis is a cross sectional, analytical study to determine the morbidity pattern among boys residing in social welfare hostels. This present study was conducted from August 2013 to July 2014 among boys residing in three welfare hostels, one each for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes in Tirupati town.RESULTSThe common prevalent morbid conditions found were skin disorders (46.4%), nutritional disorders (43.1%), eye diseases (29.0%), respiratory diseases (15.3%) gastrointestinal diseases (13.6%), ENT diseases (9.5%,), musculoskeletal conditions (1.0%), and other diseases (5.7%).CONCLUSIONSHealth education and increasing the nutritional supplements improve the health of children with regard to personal hygiene and common diseases. Provision of necessary materials like soaps, oils etc., under supervision of hostel staff will go a long way in controlling these infections.