The report titled, “Health in India” is based on information collected through NSS 71st Round for the time period January-June 2014 from 65932 households (36480 in rural and 29452 in urban) spread over the entire country. The survey on Social Consumption: Health was aimed to generate basic quantitative information on the health sector in India.

One of the vital components of the survey was dedicated to collect information which was relevant for determination of the prevalence rate of different diseases among various age-sex groups in different regions of the country. Further, measurement of the extent of use of health services provided by the Government was an indispensable part of the exercise. The key highlights of the report are given below:

I.   Morbidity and Hospitalisation

• About 9% of rural population and 12% of urban population reported ailment during a 15 day reference period.
• Proportion (no. per 1000) of ailing person (PAP) was highest for the age group of 60 & above (276 in rural, 362 in urban) followed by that among children (103 in rural, 114 in urban). Around 96% of rural and 97% of urban ailing persons were administered some treatment.
• More than 70% (72% in rural and 79% in urban) spells of ailment were treated in the private sector (consisting of private doctors, nursing homes, private hospitals, charitable institutions, etc.).
• Relatively high percentage of treatment at public hospital was reported in the rural areas of Assam (84%), followed by Odisha (76%), Rajasthan (44%) and Tamil Nadu (42%), and in the urban areas it was Odisha (54%), followed by Assam (44%) and Kerala(31%).
• Higher preference towards allopathic treatment was prevalent (around 90%) in both the sectors.
• As high as 86% of rural population and 82% of urban population were not covered under any scheme of health expenditure support.

II.   Childbirth and Maternity Care Services

• ·In NSS 71st round survey detailed information was collected on childbirth, special emphasis was given on institutional child birth. The sample covered pregnant women of age 15-49 (11288 in rural and 8157 in urban) spread over the entire country.
• Among women in the age-group 15-49 years, about 10% in the rural areas and 7% in the urban areas were reported as pregnant during the 365 days preceding the date of survey.
• Among all pregnancies reported, 77% in rural and 74% in urban areas ended with a live birth, abortion was 2% in rural and 3% in urban. Highest percentage (14%) of abortion was observed in the youngest age-group (<20 ) of urban sector.
• In the rural areas, 56% childbirth took place in public hospitals and 24% in private hospitals. In urban areas, the corresponding figures were 42% and 48% respectively. About 20% non-institutional childbirths were reported in rural areas. The same for urban areas was 11%.
• In the rural areas, about 89% of pregnant women took some pre-natal care and in urban areas, corresponding figure was 93%.
• About 77% women in the rural areas and 84% in the urban areas availed some post-natal care services during the reference period.

III.  Status of the Aged Persons (60 and above)

•  As per NSS 71st round survey, estimated no. of aged persons in the country was 87.6 million.
• The percentage of aged persons was 7.7% in rural areas and 8.1% in urban areas.
• The sex-ratio (no. of female per 1000 males) among aged persons was 1035 in rural areas and 1029 in urban.
• About 61% aged persons in rural and 63% aged persons in urban areas were living with their spouses.
• Among economically dependent aged persons 82% in rural and 80% in urban areas had to depend upon their children for financial support.
• About 8% of the aged persons in rural and 7% in urban areas were either confined to their home or bed. For the age group 80+, 27% persons in urban and 34% in rural areas reported immobility.

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