A Cross Sectional Study on High Risk Under Five Children in Urban Slums of Old City Bidar

Abstract

Introduction: Each year 27 million children are born in India.¹ In absolute figures, India contributes to 25 per cent of over 6.9 million children under five deaths occurring worldwide every year.² High mortality in under five group is because it is most affected by various morbidities. Hence there is a need to identify the high risk among.

Methodology: Community based cross sectional study in urban slums of old city Bidar

Results: Among the 250 children surveyed 192 were high risk. Among the 192 high risk children 134(69.79%) were in the age group of 12-48 months. High risk children in Middle class were 87(88.78%) and in Lower class were 21(75%) as per Modified BG Prasad SE classification. Mothers who were illiterate had 41(82%) high risk children and with only primary education had 101(82.12%) high risk children.

Conclusion: Delayed weaning, GE, ARI, birth spacing < 2 years and weight for age < 2SD were most common risk factors found in this study. Children in middle, lower middle and lower socioeconomic class were more prone for high risk.