Study of School Environmental Conditions & Morbidity Pattern Among School Children

Background: Education and health are inseparable. Student's health affects not only their cognitive per- formance in school, but also their ability to attend and stay in school over the years. To ensure attendance of children and to enhance their ability to learn, their health issues need to be addressed continuously. It is in this regard that the public health system of a nation has an important role to play. Aim: Present study was conducted in school children along with health check up & environmental survey of school to study the morbid- ity pattern among the students & to study the school environmental condition. Materials & Methods: Students & school environment of two primary & upper primary schools under field practice area of urban health training centre of Dr.S.C. Govt. Medical College, Nanded were surveyed in collaboration with Pediatric department and Com- munity Medicine department. Every child present in the school during study period was clinically examined & anthropometric meas- urements such as height & weight were measured. Environmental conditions for the two schools were compared with the minimum standards for sanitation of school & its environment as suggested in India. Results: Six hundred & twenty four 5- 13 years old school children were surveyed. The Waterloo's classification showed that 21.15% students were with adequate nutritional status while according to IAP classification nutritional status of 41.3% students was nor- mal while only 6 students were suffering from Grade IV malnutrition. 38.46% students had poor personal hygiene in the form of overgrown nails filled with dirt, 31.73% students had poor dental hygiene. 27.88% students were anemic. Most of the environmental conditions in Municipal Corporation School were as per the minimum standards for sanitation of school & its environment. Ventilation & lighting in the class rooms was inadequate in Panchsheel Vidyalaya. Conclusion: The present study had identified some of the important aspects of morbidity pattern & environmental factors in school environment where there was a scope for improvement.