Examining Disparity in Child Immunization within Marginalized Caste Groups in India

Pulkita Jain, IITB Monash Research Academy
Ashish Singh, School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology
Dharma Arunachalam, Monash University

The objective of this study is to examine disparities in child immunization within Scheduled Caste (SC), and Scheduled Tribe (ST) population. We analyzed data from five National Family Health Survey (NFHS) rounds conducted between 1992 and 2021. We employed poor-rich ratios, concentration indices, and disparity ratios to assess the prevalence of fully immunized children aged 12-35 months across various socioeconomic and demographic factors. The findings reveal an overall increase in the prevalence of fully immunized children across all caste groups during the study period. However, the growth in immunization rates among SC and ST has been slower compared to non-marginalized groups, particularly before 2015, but significant improvements were observed in 2021. Regionally, the northeastern and eastern states showed slower progress in immunization coverage, with intra-state disparities where certain districts lag significantly in full immunization rates. Additionally, poor-rich ratios and concentration indices suggest that children from wealthier households across all caste groups are more likely to be fully immunized. This study highlights the heterogeneity within marginalized caste groups in India, emphasizing that poorer sections within these communities continue to face challenges in accessing adequate healthcare, particularly in terms of immunization coverage.

Keywords: Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination, Health and Morbidity, Data and Methods, Mortality and Longevity

See extended abstract.