Health care delivery model in urban slums of Delhi 1986. Part-I: Health morbidity fertility and socio-economic situational analysis.

A health and morbidity survey was conducted in 4 types of urban Delhi slums covering 1200 households in 1984-1985. The population consisted of Hindus and Muslims with 27% Scheduled Caste totaling 5911 subjects. Morbidity on the day of survey totaled 9.2% of the population 8.2% males and 10.4% females 55% fever 13% digestive 11% respiratory and 7% skin disorders. Infants and toddlers had the highest rate of illness 16 and 15%. 11% of the population was sick during the last month and 5% had chronic illnesses such as respiratory skin rheumatic tubercular illness. 17% of the elderly 45-59 and 17% of those over 60 had chronic illness. Permanent disabilities included polio paralysis 2/1000 mental retardation 0.8 lame 0.7 blind 0.8. The infant mortality rate averaged 86/1000 compared to 62.5 for India. The maternal mortality was 9/1000 compared to 2-4/1000 nationally. The mean age at marriage was 16.5. Contraceptive prevalence was 26%. 11% of the women were pregnant less than 25% were registered for antenatal care. 72% of deliveries were at home. 20% of lactating women had anemia and vitamin B deficiency. Only 0.8% had received vitamin A prophylaxis. The peoples expressed needs were employment (49%) housing (33%) and environmental sanitation (10%). The key recommendations were: housing public sanitation and piped well water; employment literacy and primary education especially for women; maternal/child health care training of dais and contraceptive services.