Varying Patterns of Societal Discriminations in Anaemia among Women in India: Findings from Third and Fourth rounds of NFHS Survey Dubey Dharmendra Kumar1,*, Rishipathak Parag2, Das Arindam3 1Assistant Professor, Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences (SIHS), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India 2Director, Symbiosis Centre for Health Skills, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India 3Associate Professor, Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences (SIHS), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India *Corresponding Author: Dr. Dharmendra Kumar Dubey, Assistant Professor, Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences (SIHS), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India, Email: dubey.dharm@gmail.com
Online published on 4 June, 2019. Abstract Introduction In a society where the status of women is poor, women face both hidden and open discrimination within family. India has always been a country with a high prevalence of anaemia. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional deficiency in pregnant women. Objectives To investigate the patterns of societal differences in anaemia among women of reproductive age in India. Method Cross-sectional surveyed data, which was nationally representative from the 2005/2006 and 2015/2016 National Family Health Surveys of India. Multivariable logistic regression models and relative risk were used to assess trends and social inequalities in anaemia. Anaemia status defined by haemoglobin level (<12 g/dl in non-pregnant women, haemoglobin<11 g/dl for pregnant women). Results Over the 10-year period, anaemia prevalence decreased significantly from 56.1% (95% CI 55.4% to 56.8%) to 53.1% (95% CI 52.9% to 53.3%) among Indian women. Conclusions The significant state variation was marked in prevalence of anaemia. In two subsequent surveyed data, anaemia was positively associated with lower wealth status, lower education and belonging to scheduled tribes and scheduled castes. Top Keywords Anaemia, NFHS, Wealth index, Caste, Education. Top |