Assam HDR survey: 50.6 per cent of individuals use govt facilities,  42.2 per cent go to private physicians and clinics for treatement of chronic illness

Assam state Human Development Survey (2013) data reveal that 56 per cent of ailing individuals in the state used government health facilities and 27 per cent used private physicians and clinics and 16 per cent relied on informal healthcare providers or pharmacies or self-medication for treatment of short-term illness while 50.6 per cent used government facilities and 42.2 per cent used private physicians and clinics for treatment of chronic illness.  

INFORMAL PROVIDER OF DRUG

(FOR SHORT TERM MORBIDITY )

INFORMAL PROVIDR OF DRUG 

( FOR CRITICAL ILLNES)

RELY ON GOVERNMENT FACILITIES

(FOR SHORT TERM MORBIDITY )

RELY ON GOVERNMENT FACILITIES

( FOR CHRONIC AILMENTS )

RELY ON PRIVATE PHYSICIANS AND CLINICS

(FOR SHORT TERM MORBIDITIES)

RELY ON PRIVATE PHYSICIANS AND CLINICS

( FOR CHRONIC AILMENTS )

The HDR Data for outpatient care reveal “considerable reliance on government health facilities, more among the poorer socio-economic groups and in rural areas. Notably, while some degree of preference for informal providers could be seen for common, short-term ailments, formal private physicians are preferred for chronic ailments.” The survey also reveals that users of public facilities for outpatient care do so because of lower costs of treatment, while those opting for private care are more influenced by strong perceptions of better quality of treatment being available from private providers.  For the users of third type of healthcare provider- informal practitioners and drug stores-there appears to be a near-equal split across both quality with less than a fifth stating having no other alternative as the main reason to explain their treatment-seeking behaviour.

UTILISATION OF GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE FACILITIES FOR OCCUPATIONAL CARE IN ASSAM (IN PERCENT)

ASHDR SURVEY, 2013-14

SHORT TERM ILLNESS

CHRONIC ILLNESS

The HDR data also suggest that while use of and reliance on public hospitals for inpatient stays has been consistently high across all geographical diversity areas of Chars, flood-affected, tea gardens, border areas and multiple diversities, it is found to be the lowest in the case of char areas, most likely due to seasonal inaccessibility and other barriers to access, the report adds.

This is the first Human Development Report prepared in the country with new UNDP method. Guwahati-based think tank Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development (OKDISCD) and New Delhi-based Institute for Human Development have compiled this 272-page report on behalf of the Planning and Development Department, Government of Assam with support by the UNDP and the NITI Ayog. The Assam HDR Survey, 2013 covered 39,998 households covering 187,511 individuals in 27 districts, 97 Blocks, 95 urban centres, 1972 villages of the state. the report is based on primary data collected in the largest survey ever conducted in Assam for development evaluation. which is ten times that of the National Sample Survey Organisation rounds and about eight times that of the National Family Health Survey in the state.

- nezine.com Editorial Bureau