A comparative study of the nutritional, education and immunisation profile of children visiting tertiary care centre-is there a gender preference or no?

Abstract

Background: Girls in the country are found to be at a higher risk of malnutrition and growth retardation. Status report of 'Save the Children' highlighted that India is having largest gender survival gap in the World. Aim of the study was to study the nutrition, education and immunization profile of children visiting tertiary care centre, to know gender preference is there or no. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted in, CHRI for a period of 6 months, where parents of all Children aged 5 -15 years were subjected to questionnaire regarding the education, immunisation and socio economic status in a predesigned proforma and their nutritional status was assessed using the anthropometric measurements and clinical examination. Results: Out of 1020 children the proportion of boys (49%) and girls (51%). The proportion of fully immunized children in females (63.1%) compared to males (70.4%). The proportion of male children going to government and private schools was 12.4% and 87.6% respectively and 10.8% and 89.2% respectively in females. The proportion of underweight children in males (5.2%), compared to females (4.2%). Conclusions: There was no there was no gender preference with regard nutritional, immunisation or educational status of the children.

A Community Based Study on the Attitude of Family towards Elderly, Girl Child Education, Nutrition and Health Care in the Rural Field Practice Areas of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Mangalore

“…In a study done by Neeru Sharma et al [3] more than half (52%) of the mothers want their daughter's educational level to be upto Post graduation and 95% mothers would allow their daughters to select subjects of their own choice and take admission in any college, even out of the state. In another study conducted by Ganavi Ramagopal et al [4] the proportion of male child going to government and private schools was 12.4% and 87.6% respectively and 10.8% and 89.2% respectively in females. They disclosed that there is no difference between boys and girl's education.…”

“…Ganavi Ramagopal and Lala Umadevi [4] has done a study on girl child education, nutrition and health care and in that they found that the proportion of fully immunized females were 63.1% as compared to males were 70.4%. This shows the negligence on the part of health care of girls.…”