Trends in Selected Birth Defects Among Parents from Below Poverty Line Population in Karnataka During 2010–2020

The aim of the study is to reveal the common birth defects among parents of newborns belonging to the below poverty line (BPL) category in Karnataka state (South India) by analyzing Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust data. In the last 10 years, 3672 kids in BPL families have been born with various birth abnormalities. It is found that 50.3% of newborns have anorectal malformations, 33.1% have hypospadias, 6.0% have diaphragmatic hernia, 5.1% have esophageal atresia, and 2.8% have intestinal atresia and obstruct. As a parent’s age rises, the likelihood of having a child with birth abnormalities raise as well, particularly anorectal malformations than diaphragmatic hernia. Male newborns have a higher risk of birth defects. We hypothesized that poverty, material deprivation, and low socioeconomic profile throughout the life course among the BPL community could be some of the key reasons for poor maternal health care and related neonatal outcomes.

Awareness and satisfaction about state health insurance scheme among beneficiaries at tertiary care hospital in Maharashtra

Background: The Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojana (RGJAY) is cashless medical insurance scheme launched in 2nd July 2012 by Maharashtra government is for poor families like below poverty line, above poverty line categories, Antyodaya and Annapurna cards holders with annual income less than Rs. 1 lakh. It’s implemented throughout the state of Maharashtra in phased manner for a period of 3 years. The aim is to provide quality care and free medical facilities worth Rs. 1.5 lakh. Aim of this study is to see awareness of the scheme and satisfaction level among beneficiaries about RGJAY scheme.Methods: It’s a cross sectional hospital based study. 500 Patient enrolled under RGJAY scheme selected daily during study period January 2013 to June 2014 in Raigad district. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS 21.0.Results: Most of the beneficiaries were male (63.4%), age group 40-70 (51.2%). 67.2% participants were aware about RGJAY and 35% were came to know through media. Only 20% participants utilized services under RGJAY scheme more than one time. 31% participant’s family members had taken benefits of the scheme. 45.4% participants were highly satisfied, 28.8% satisfied with services provided under RGJAY scheme.Conclusions: The participants were aware about the scheme, but utilization of the scheme was low in the population. Most of the participants were satisfied with services provided under scheme. It shows that scheme was successful in Raigad district.

Awareness And Effect Of Janani Suraksha Yojana On Antenatal Care And Institutional Deliveries In Rural, Urban & Tribal Areas Of Ahmednagar District.

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a centrally sponsored scheme which is being implemented with the objective of re-ducing maternal and infant mortality by promoting institutional delivery among pregnant women. The Government of India introduced the JSY (safe motherhood program) based on the principles of CCT. Under JSY, cash assistance was given to pregnant women receiving at least three antenatal check-ups (ANCs) and delivering at institutions. The study is undertaken to establish if there is any co-relation of level of awareness about the scheme and its impact on ANC and institutional deliveries in the rural, urban and tribal area of Ahmednagar district. Method: The JSY beneficiaries were asked demographic characteristics, area of residency, educational levels, Category and place of delivery were noted. A set of question (self-designed and pretested) and their responses were noted. Result: Out of 825 JSY beneficiaries, there were total 781 (94.7%) Hindu, Muslim 23(2.8%) and Christian 21 (2.5%) beneficiaries. Majority of Hindu reli-gion JSY beneficiaries. Only few member from BPL JSY beneficiaries have opted for delivery at private hospital. Maximum deliveries taking place in civil hospital are from BPL category. It was observed that the awareness level about JSY is low in tribal area compared to the rural and urban area. It was also seen that 648 (78.54%) JSY benefi-ciaries availed free transport facility out of which 358 (55.24%) fall in high level of awareness category. There is a positive relation between age group and awareness about JSY. Conclusion: 46.8% women with high awareness about JSY scheme, it is a programme for pregnant women which aims at safe institutional delivery. Other factors such as education of mother, religion, culture, area of residence, family type played important role in utilization of available maternal health scheme.

Linhas de pobreza no Plano Brasil Sem Miséria: análise crítica e proposta de alternativas para a medição da pobreza conforme metodologia de Sonia Rocha / Las líneas de pobreza en el Plano Brasil Sem Miséria: crítica y alternativas propuestas a la medición de la pobreza / Poverty lines in the Brasil Sem Miséria Plan: a review and proposed alternatives in poverty measurement according to the methodology of Sonia Rocha

Resumo O presente trabalho critica a metodologia de medição da pobreza empregada pelo governo federal no âmbito do Plano Brasil Sem Miséria. Foi efetuada uma comparação, via compilação e análise descritiva de dados secundários da PNAD, entre essa metodologia e aquela utilizada pela economista Sonia Rocha, a qual estabelece linhas de pobreza regionalizadas e indexadas aos valores de cestas de consumo observadas nas diferentes regiões do país. Os resultados das duas medições foram comparados, mostrando que as linhas do PBSM são incapazes de captar 12,9 milhões de brasileiros que vivem em situação de pobreza. Como conclusão do artigo, são sugeridas, para o aperfeiçoamento da medição do governo, a regionalização das linhas e sua indexação ao preço de cestas de consumo regionais.

Resumen Este trabajo aporta una metodología de medición de la pobreza crítica utilizados por el gobierno federal bajo el Plano Brasil Sin Pobreza. Se hizo una comparación a través de la recopilación y análisis de datos secundarios, entre esta metodología y la utilizada por la economista Sonia Rocha, que establece líneas de pobreza regionalizadas e indexadas a valores de cestas de consumo observados en diferentes regiones del país. Los resultados de las dos mediciones son comparados, lo que demuestra que las líneas de PBSM son incapaces de identificar 12,9 millones de brasileños que viven en la pobreza. Para mejorar la medición del gobierno, sugerimos la regionalización de las líneas, así como la indexación del precio de las cestas de consumo regionales.

Abstract This paper criticizes the methodology of poverty measurement used by the Brazilian federal government called Brasil Sem Miséria Plan (PBSM). Using a compilation and analysis of secondary data collected from the National Household Sample Survey (PNAD), we conducted a comparison between the government methodology and that one used by the economist Sonia Rocha. Her methodology establishes poverty lines which are regionalized and indexed to the consumer basket values found in different regions of the country. The results of both methodologies are compared, showing that PBSM lines are incapable of detecting 12.9 million Brazilians living in poverty. In our conclusions, we present suggestions to improve the government's poverty measurement methodology, i.e., the need of a regionalization of poverty lines and that they become indexed to regional consumer basket prices.

Association between Socio-Demographic Factors and the Type of Tobacco Consumption among Subjects Attending a Rural Hospital, South India.

Aim: To assess the association between socio-demographic factors and type of tobacco consumption among subjects attending a rural hospital in south India. Methods: A pre-tested questionnaire was designed for recording the relevant data pertaining to selected socio-demographic variables and the details of tobacco consumption. Patients as well as persons accompanying them formed the study sample and they were chosen by systematic random sampling method. Chi-square test was used to assess the association between the variables. Results: A total of 350 subjects were included in the study. There was statistically significant association between age groups, gender, education, occupation, economic status and the type of tobacco consumption. Conclusion: The present study revealed a significant association between selected sociodemographic factors and the type of tobacco consumption.

Is RSBY India’s platform to implementing universal hospital insurance.

Background & objectives: In 2008, India’s Labour Ministry launched a hospital insurance scheme called Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) covering ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) households. RSBY is implemented through insurance companies; premiums are subsidized by Union and States governments (75 : 25%). We examined RSBY’s enrolment of BPL, costs vs. budgets and policy ramifications. Methods: Numbers of BPL are obtained by following criteria of two committees appointed for this task. District-specific premiums are weighted to obtain national average premiums. Using the BPL estimates and national premiums, we calculated overall expected costs of full roll-out of the RSBY per annum, and compared it to Union government budget allocations. Results: By March 31, 2011, RSBY enrolled about 27.8 per cent of the number of BPL households following the Tendulkar Committee estimates (37.6% following the Lakdawala Committee criteria). The average national weighted premium was ` 530 per household per year in 2011. The expected cost of premium to the union government of enrolling the entire BPL population in financial year (FY) 2010-11 would be ` 33.5 billion using Tendulkar count of BPL (or ` 24.6 billion following Lakdawala count), representing about 0.3 per cent (or 0.2%, respectively) of the total union budget. The RSBY budget allocation for FY 2010-11 was only about 0.037 per cent of the total union budget, sufficient to pay premiums of only 34 per cent of the BPL households enrolled by March 31, 2011. Interpretation & conclusions: RSBY could be the platform for universal health insurance when (i) the budget allocation will match the required funds for maintenance and expansion of the scheme; (ii) the scheme would ensure that beneficiaries’ rights are legally anchored; and (iii) RSBY would attract large numbers of premiumpaying (non-BPL) households.