Identification of priority health conditions for field-based screening in urban slums in Bangalore, India

Abstract

BackgroundUrban slums are characterised by unique challenging living conditions, which increase their inhabitants’ vulnerability to specific health conditions. The identification and prioritization of the key health issues occurring in these settings is essential for the development of programmes that aim to enhance the health of local slum communities effectively. As such, the present study sought to identify and prioritise the key health issues occurring in urban slums, with a focus on the perceptions of health professionals and community workers, in the rapidly growing city of Bangalore, India.MethodsThe study followed a two-phased mixed methods design. During Phase I of the study, a total of 60 health conditions belonging to four major categories: - 1) non-communicable diseases; 2) infectious diseases; 3) maternal and women’s reproductive health; and 4) child health - were identified through a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews conducted with health professionals and other relevant stakeholders with experience working with urban slum communities in Bangalore. In Phase II, the health issues were prioritised based on four criteria through a consensus workshop conducted in Bangalore.ResultsThe top health issues prioritized during the workshop were: diabetes and hypertension (non-communicable diseases category), dengue fever (infectious diseases category), malnutrition and anaemia (child health, and maternal and women’s reproductive health categories). Diarrhoea was also selected as a top priority in children. These health issues were in line with national and international reports that listed them as top causes of mortality and major contributors to the burden of diseases in India.ConclusionsThe results of this study will be used to inform the development of technologies and the design of interventions to improve the health outcomes of local communities. Identification of priority health issues in the slums of other regions of India, and in other low and lower middle-income countries, is recommended.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-018-5194-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Slums, Space, and State of Health—A Link between Settlement Morphology and Health Data

“…In other studies, classes of disease and previous knowledge about slums have been collected [2,3,48,49]. However, this study is the first to examine the existing literature in its spatial extent and distribution.…”

“…It was also shown that the physical environment and infrastructure intervention, such as road paving or water supply, have significant effects on the health of slum dwellers [48]. Abdi et al [49] describe what kind of diseases should be investigated in slums (diabetes, hypertension, dengue fever, and anaemia). They refer to slums in Bangalore, India.…”

“…The category mental health covers diseases that have an influence on physiological well-being, for example depression, suicidal thoughts, and mourning. We classified as non-specific all cases that could not be explicitly placed in one of the other six categories, like general studies on sanitation that do not investigate its influence on a specific infectious disease [53] and fundamental reviews like Abdi et al [49].…”

Health issues in a Bangalore slum: findings from a household survey using a mobile screening toolkit in Devarajeevanahalli

“…Field-based screening for priority health conditions carried out as part of the study, was done using the THULSI (Toolkit for Healthy Urban Life in Slums Initiative) toolkit. This mobile multifunctional and modular toolkit was developed through an international collaborative project implemented by Bangalore Baptist Hospital, the University of Sheffield, ZUYD University of Applied Sciences, e-Health enablers and Icarus Nova, based on the findings of an initial study to identify priority health issues in the area [8].…”

“…However, BBH seeks to reach more people in need of healthcare and align its service with the needs of the population more optimally. Together with local companies and two academic institutions, BBH developed a screening toolkit [8] that enabled door to door screening of the priority diseases (based on prevalence, seriousness, feasibility of screening and potential benefits of early detection) in the slum population. The objective of the survey was to screen and document priority health conditions of slum inhabitants using the toolkit developed .…”