Gu, He, 1978-. Morbidity differentials among the adult population in rural Kanchanaburi DSS . Master's Degree(Population and Reproductive Health Research). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2004.
Morbidity differentials among the adult population in rural Kanchanaburi DSS
Abstract:
Morbidity differences are often used to identify the onset of ill health of the
society and also to develop a proper health service system appropriate to specific
groups in a population. One approach to identify morbidity differences is to associate
population morbidity with demographic, socioeconomic, and environment affecting
factors. This study investigates morbidity differentials by individual demographic,
socioeconomic and household environment characteristics and examines the influence
of the related determinants on morbidity patterns in four rural strata, Kanchanaburi
province. Data from the 2001 Kanchanaburi Demographic Surveillance Survey is
analyzed. Morbidity status is measured by reported sickness. The study area was
divided into four rural strata which were categorized according to the main occupation
of the population and land use patterns. Descriptive analysis with chi-square statistics
was used to check the morbidity differentials by strata, demographic, socioeconomic,
and household environment characteristics. While binary logistic regression analysis
was used to investigate the determinant factors affecting on morbidity status. Results
show the morbidity differentials among some socio-demographic groups. Consistent
with past researches, analysis indicates that morbidity status is influenced by sex, age,
education and sanitation status in rural Kanchanaburi. Contrary to expectation,
economic factors and some household environment factors are not associated with
morbidity status in rural Kanchanaburi. The results also show that people in different
rural strata vary greatly in terms of their morbidity status. The research recommends
that health policy and program should be flexible taking into the consideration the
distinctiveness of different social groups in rural areas. Greater attention needs to be
paid to issue of health status of women and older people, and people continue to need
to improve education, sanitary facilities in order to reduce morbidity in rural areas.
Information on regional differentials on morbidity is necessary, and prevention
program should be made according to morbidity pattern and health situation in
different rural regions