EVALUATION OF HOUSEHOLD SANITATION AND HEALTH STATUS IN TAMIL NADU: OBSERVATIONS FROM VELLORE SLUM

Abstract

In the developing countries, health sector plays a predominant role in the improvement of sanitation. Inadequate and poor quality of sanitation results in severe health issues and huge economic loss like health cost, less productivity of worker and increase in school dropout rate. With this background, the present study has made an attempt to analyze the household sanitation and health status of slums in Tamil Nadu. The study used both primary and secondary data for the analysis; secondary data were collected from various reports of Census and National Family Health Survey (NFHS) whereas primary survey were collected from 120 sample households on the basis of purposive sampling technique with the help of structured interview schedule in urban slum of Vellore district. The study found that, diarrhea (36.7%) followed by stomach pain (35.8%), worm (28.3%), typhoid (17.5%), jaundice (10%) and urinary infection (12.5%) are the major health diseases identified in the study area. The study suggests, government should provide more awareness programmes among the households especially in the slums areas to make them aware about the impacts of improper sanitation and hygiene.