Levels and differentials of morbidity in a state of India

Soumitra Ghosh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

The paper investigates the level, differentials and determinants of morbidity in West Bengal. The overall morbidity prevalence rate for the year 1995-96 was 67 per thousand in rural and 70 per thousand in urban areas. The morbidity prevalence rate of females is slightly higher than for males in both rural and urban areas. The prevalence rate of illness is higher among children aged 0-4 and adults above 60 years compared to other age groups. Though the illiterates have experienced the highest rate of morbidity in both rural and urban areas no clear-cut relation between education and morbidity has been found. The morbidity prevalence rate increases moderately as household monthly consumption expenditure increases up to Rs. 4667 in case of rural and Rs. 6500 in case of urban and then declines in both areas. The untreated illness is found to be higher for females than for males both in rural and urban areas.