Childhood Morbidity and its Association with Socio-economic and Health Care Condition among Under 5 Years Children in West Bengal: An Evidence from NFHS-5, 2019-20

Introduction: Child health issue is a public health concern in India and the country has already set its goal to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) target to reduce under-five mortality to 25 per 1000 live births by 2030. A good socio-economic condition and health care facility can reduce child morbidity and mortality. Objectives: The present study aims to show the pattern of morbidity among under-five children and its association with socio-economic and health care condition in West Bengal. Materials and Methods: This study has been carried out from district level fact-sheets of NFHS-5 (2019-20). Dimension Indices (DI) are developed for the indicators of child morbidity, health care and socio-economic status. Bivariate analyses are performed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Multivariate analyses are carried out using simple linear regression model. Results: Results show Purulia district of West Bengal represents a highest level of child morbidity and North Twenty-Four Parganas district as a low level of child morbidity status ; whereas, both districts show reverse status in the case of socio-economic and health care context. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of child morbidity is negatively related with socio-economic (-0.54) and health care status (-0.62) and in both the cases they are significantly different from zero (P<0.05). Availability of electricity, women literacy, improved sanitation facility and child immunization are negatively correlated with child morbidity. Conclusion: The study recommends targeting the districts with high child morbidity, poor socio-economic and health care status and suggest improvements to reduce the same by facilitating improved sanitation facility, increase in women literacy and full immunization.