Impact of bio-social factors on morbidity among under-five children in Odisha.

Child morbidity is not a single problem with a single solution. Mul¬tiple and interrelated bio-social determinants interact and inter¬play demanding chain of approaches in policies and programmes to be evolved to deal with such kind of health menace. In Odisha the infant mortality rate was 65 (NFHS-3)1 which was less than 81 (NFHS-2)2 and 112 (NFHS-1)3. The under-five mortality rate was 91 deaths per 1000 live births. In spite of all welfare programmes and reformed strategies to address child morbidity the infant and child mortality rates in Odisha were higher as compared to the national estimates. The higher rates of infant and child mortality in Odisha imply that despite decline in mortality one in 15 children still die within the first year of life and one in 11 die before reaching the age of five. Over population and poverty are widespread in Odis¬ha causing health threat and morbidity. Children aged under-five years who are naturally innocent most vulnerable and fully depen¬dent on their parents often suffer from viral and infectious diseases. The future of a nation is very much linked with the wellbeing of its children which mostly depends on the children’s health status. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of morbidity among under–5 children (0-59 months) in Odisha using NFHS-3 data and to determine the most significant factors causing such morbidity; especially Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) diarrhoea and fever. Analysis of data revealed that age of child was a significant fac¬tor in the prevalence of ARI diarrhoea and fever among under-5 children. Prevalence of morbidity was highest among children aged 6-23 months as they weaned off breast milk and were introduced to the complementary food. Further the study also found the signifi¬cant relationship of morbidity with children’s immunization status.