Spatial Heterogeneity and Socioeconomic Inequalities in Anaemia among Indian Women

DEEPAK KUMAR , International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Abhishek Kumar, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Suraj Maiti, Virginia Tech
Hemkhothang Lhungdim, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Anaemia is one of the most concerning public health issues in India, primarily affecting women of reproductive age, predetermined by socioeconomic and spatial inequalities. Our study aims to unravel these inequalities and factors associated with anaemia among Indian women. This study is based on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data, 2019-21, covering 724,115 women aged 15-49. The differences in the socioeconomic status of women were assessed with the help of concentration indices decomposition, while spatial inequalities were investigated through district-level heat maps and Moran’s I statistics. Findings show that differences in socioeconomic status are significant, with the members of poorer households being heavily affected. The wealth quintile was the determinant of inequality, with the largest association being the increased prevalence among pregnant women, comprising 34.4% of the overall inequality. The spatial differences proved substantial, with the cases clustering in the country's northern, central, and eastern parts. The identified hotspots are the areas in need of targeted and efficient interventions. There is a need for healthcare interventions to address the issue involving both socioeconomic and regional determinants, such as improving nutritional access, healthcare services, and education for marginalized populations in India. Keywords: Anaemia, Pregnant, Non-pregnant, Inequality, Spatial heterogeneity, India

Keywords: Decomposition analysis, Spatial Demography, Health and Morbidity, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination

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