THE SOCIAL CLASS VARIATION IN HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURE: A CASE STUDY OF KHALLIKOTE BLOCK, GANJAM DISTRICT, ODISHA

Abstract

This objective carries the primary data collected through a questionnaire from my study area and analyses of the impact of health care on the socio-economic development and the level of living of the social class families compared to other families. This also focuses on the problems and preferences of the health care expenditure burden of social class families. This present study was undertaken to investigate the existing health problems and healthcare practice of the social class (SC, ST, and OBC) communities of Khallikote Block in Ganjam District based on the present scenario, which exists between the SC, ST, and OBC groups. The findings of the study indicated that the demographic profile, socioeconomic status, general health status, but still lack of knowledge as well as poor availability of medical institution people intended to use traditional herbal medicine. The housing status of the social class community households needs to be improved through the help of village Panchayat should be oriented by Indira Awas yojana, and help of the people of construct good houses. It is necessary to provide orientation to village Panchayat about healthy housing and sanitation in the tribal communities. The village must be connected with the provision of “Rural Drinking Water” facilities in the social class village area, and villages to have safe drinking water in the villages as well in the community. The study has the following limitations: The study has depicted the current situation of the Khallikote Block in Odisha; the result may not be relevant to other class of people. The study is limited to a cross-section sample of 348 households of the selected sample villages in Langaleswar and Khojapalli Panchayat. It has been assumed that the respondents are true and honest while filling the questionnaire and there is no bias. Due to time and resource limitations, a full-length survey is not possible with a wider representation of data. Insurgency problem in the state created a problem for data collection from interior parts of the state. Despite these limitations, an attempt has been made to make the study more scientific and reliable by testing the reliability of the primary data. KEYWORDS: Health care expenditure, Income, cross-section sample, Regression, demographic profile.