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India’s primary healthcare reform: Improved service delivery, reduced mortality
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Human Development
Covid-19 and mental health: Large-scale phone survey in six Indian states
The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it the dual crises of public health and the economy, particularly in low-income settings with limited formal safety nets. Based on a large-scale phone survey conducted across six Indian states, this article finds that stricter containment measures, while potentially crucial to check the spread of the virus, are associated with worse mental health among women and higher food insecurity.
Covid-19 and mental health: Introduction to e-Symposium
The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns had a devastating effect on the economy, with loss of livelihoods, earnings, and food insecurity suffered by the most vulnerable sections. Although economic well-being has suffered more apparently, the pandemic’s impact on mental well-being has been equally adverse but less visible. In a symposium that will run through this week, experts from various domains will weigh in on the mental health impacts of the pandemic on two particularly vulnerable demographic groups – women and children.
The intergenerational mortality tradeoff of Covid-19 lockdown policies
The introduction of lockdown policies to contain the transmission of Covid-19 led to a debate on what type of lockdowns were warranted, and whether the benefits justified the accompanying economic contractions. In this context, this article seeks to quantify the intergenerational mortality trade-off in pandemic mitigation in low- and middle-income countries, as the disease and lockdown policies affect the mortality of younger and older people differently.
Challenges faced by community health workers in Covid-19 containment efforts
Although community health workers have been the backbone of the fight against Covid-19 in India, there has not been sufficient focus on their well-being and working conditions. Based on a survey in the Bundelkhand region, among the poorest regions in India, Saha et al., examine the perspectives and experiences of community health workers, and the socioeconomic hurdles faced by them during the pandemic.
The power of school feeding programmes to improve nutrition
India has the world’s highest number of undernourished children and the largest school-feeding programme – the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme – but limited evidence is available on the intergenerational impact of the programme. Based on data from the National Family Health Survey and National Sample Survey, this article shows if a mother was a beneficiary of MDM during schooling, there is a 20-30% reduction in height deficits of her children.
Start what you finish! Risk and schooling investments
Economic shocks prompt parents to work more in order to reduce the fallout, and children may spend more time helping in the household or on the family farm, thereby interrupting their schooling. Analysing data from rural India, this article shows that a 100% increase in risk – in the form of more volatile agricultural production and consumption – reduces the probability that a child attends school by 4-5%.
Grandads, dads, and sons: Examining multigenerational mobility in India
While studies have examined the association in socioeconomic status between parent and offspring, there has been relatively little research on multigenerational mobility, especially in the developing country context. Analysing data from the India Human Development Survey, this article shows that there is upward mobility in terms of education but not for occupation – with stark differences across social groups.
Covid-19: Does obesity play a role?
Overnutrition is a major public health issue in India. Being overweight or obese has been linked to the development of health conditions that make individuals more susceptible to severe illness due to Covid-19. Using district-level data on Covid-19 and anthropometric data from National Family Health Survey, this article presents evidence of a strong, significant association between overnutrition indicators and Covid-19 prevalence and case fatality rates.
Saas, bahu, and ASHA: Information diffusion in rural Bihar
India has made significant progress in improving maternal and child health outcomes, and the contribution of ASHAs – female community health workers – in promoting healthcare-seeking behaviour is widely acknowledged. In this context, Dutta et al. discuss findings from their study in rural Bihar and highlight two key issues: mothers-in-law acting as mediators in the interaction between ASHAs and women of reproductive age, and the limited success in influencing educated women from affluent families.
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