Focus: GS-III Science and Technology
Why in news?
Latest survey on the state of India’s health by the National Statistical Office shows that – Fewer Indians reported ailments or required hospitalization in 2017-18 as compared to 2014.
Details
- The NSO Survey shows that the number of Indians reporting ailments dropped by more than 2% points in rural areas and more than 2.5% points in urban areas between 2014 and 2017-18.
- Interestingly, the proportion of those reporting ailments and those hospitalized rose between 1995-96 and 2014, according to three NSO surveys on health in this period.
Infection was most common ailment
- Infection the most cited reason for hospitalization, one in three ailing people reported having suffered an infection.
- Cardiovascular disease was the second most reported ailment, followed by endocrine and metabolic disorders (body’s over- or under-production of certain hormones and disorders affecting the body’s ability to process certain nutrients and vitamins), and respiratory diseases.
- However, when it comes to hospitalization, infection was also the leading cause for hospitalization.
- Although, cardiovascular disease was the second most reported ailment, it was the fourth biggest cause of hospitalisation.
- Trailing injuries and gastrointestinal diseases were the second and third most reported cause for hospitalization.
Other Findings
- A single case of hospitalization costs on average more than Rs 16 thousand in rural India and more Rs 26 thousand in urban areas (a difference of Rs. 10 thousand).
- Nearly 86% people in rural India and 81% in urban India are not covered by health insurance. As a result, about four in five Indians pay for hospitalization out of their household income or savings.
- More than 13% people in rural areas and more than 8% in urban areas borrow money to pay their hospital expenses.
- On average, a person who is hospitalized in India stays admitted for almost 7 days.
- But a person admitted to a private hospital is likely to stay admitted for a day more than a person admitted to a government hospital.
-Source: Hindustan Times
