European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

MORBIDITY PATTERN AND PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT AMONG SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN IN THE URBAN FIELD PRACTICE AREA OF A MEDICAL COLLEGE IN AURANGABAD, MAHARASHTRA

Dr. Rashmi Priya*, Mohan K. Doibale, Dr. Gautam B. Sawase, Dr. Arvind V. Gaikwad,
Dr. Sunayana G. Kumthekar, Dr. Sanjay K. Singh, Dr. Shruti R. Gaikwad

ABSTRACT

Background: School children constitute 20% of total population. So, schools are the ideal settings for implementation of screening program. Gradually there has been a rise in childhood morbidity. Objective: to determine the prevalence of various childhood morbidities. Study Design: It was a community based cross-sectional study conducted in field practice area of a medical college in Maharashtra. RESULTS: There were 442 participants, 222 (50.22%) boys and 220(49.78%) were girls. The overall prevalence of morbidity was 51.08% with pallor (34.16%) being most common morbidity. There was significant association between gender and pallor, ear wax, pain in abdomen and overweight; p-value<0.00. CONCLUSION: Screening of morbidity and health promotion at school level is of sheer importance to prevent upcoming health issues in the society.

Keywords: school-children, morbidity, overweight, field practice area.