MORBIDITY PATTERN AMONG ADOLESCENT SCHOOL GIRLS IN RURAL AND URBAN SCHOOL OF JHANSI (U.P.)- A COMPARATIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY

Background: According to World Health Organization, adolescents constitute about one fifth of the world population, and in India they constitute about 21% of the total population. Most of the surveys show that health status of adolescent girls is at sub-optimal level. Objectives: To assess nutritional status and morbidity pattern among the adolescent girls and to suggest measures for improvement of health status of adolescent girls.  Method: A community based cross-sectional study was carried out among 250 adolescent schoolgirls in Rural and urban field practice area of Jhansi school from January 2017 to July 2014. Results: Among the various morbidities eye problem was seen in maximum no of adolescent girls. Eye problem was present in 44.8% of adolescent girls followed by respiratory 14.7% and ear 13.06% disease. Skin disease was present in 3.2% of adolescent girls, which was more in rural girls 6.7% than in urban girls 1.7%, may be due to better hygienic practice in urban schoolgirls. Conclusions: Rural background, low socioeconomic status, illiteracy, birth rate and order, income and number of members in a family have shown to be significant determinants of morbidity pattern in the adolescent girls. Keywords: Adolescent, anemia, morbidity, vaginal discharge.