How India uses healthcare: insights from the NSS, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• The 80th National Sample Survey (NSS) reveals that 98% of women receive antenatal care and 92% postnatal care.
• Over 95% of childbirths occur in institutions, with private institutions accounting for about 51% in urban and 29% in rural areas, costing an average of ₹37,630.
• Morbidity is notably high in Kerala, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh, particularly among older adults in the latter two states.
• Insurance coverage has significantly increased to 47.4% in rural and 44.3% in urban areas, but out-of-pocket costs remain high, averaging ₹50,508 in private hospitals.

Detailed Insights:

• The survey highlights a significant shift towards institutional deliveries, which is associated with better maternal and child health outcomes, yet disparities persist with high costs in private institutions.
• Unusually high morbidity rates in certain states like Kerala require further investigation to determine if they are due to perception differences, data collection issues, or other underlying factors.
• Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension become prevalent around age 40, while injuries are a major cause of morbidity from age 15, indicating a need for preventive measures.
• Despite increased insurance coverage, a large portion of the population still accesses private healthcare, leading to high out-of-pocket expenditures and financial strain, especially among lower-income groups.
• The survey data contains anomalies and inconsistencies, such as higher expenditures in charitable hospitals compared to private ones in some states, suggesting potential errors in data collection or reporting.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Morbidity: The condition of being diseased or the rate of disease in a population.
• Antenatal/Postnatal Care: Healthcare provided during pregnancy and after childbirth, respectively.
• Out-of-Pocket Expenditure: Direct payments made by individuals to healthcare providers at the point of service.