Abstract
Background: Morbidity rate is one of the indicators of the health status of the population along with the life expectancy & mortality rates. This study was planned as the information available on morbidity patterns among the general population is very few.
Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted from 1 May 2019 to 28 May 2019. The study was done by house-to-house survey in 14 families with a total of 70 population using a semi-structured questionnaire.
Results: Of the total population of 70, 29 were males, 25 were females and 16 were children (age group 0-15 years). Overall, there were about 7.14% of people reported hypertension, 5.71% with gastritis and arthritis, 4.2% with asthma, and others with a slightly higher proportion of females have been observed to be affected. When the study was conducted, about 32.8% of the survey population had any morbidity with a higher proportion of people having Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, gastritis, arthritis, asthma, and others.
Conclusion: It is more important to focus on providing services for these diseases than acute illness. It is also necessary to take up preventive programs and interventions for these NCDs regularly in this area.
Keywords: Morbidity, Jumleti
Introduction
A chronic condition refers to a health issue or illness that persists over time, causing long-term effects. This term is typically used when the condition lasts for more than three months. Examples of common chronic diseases include arthritis, asthma, cancer, COPD, diabetes, as well as viral diseases like hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS.1
Morbidity can be defined as any departure from the condition of typical physical and mental health. 2
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) pose a significant public health challenge in Nepal, contributing to approximately 60% of total annual deaths in 2014, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Globally and within the Southeast Asia region, NCDs are increasingly becoming the primary cause of death, influenced by various social determinants such as unhealthy lifestyles, globalization, trade, and marketing practices, as well as demographic and economic shifts. Changes in these determinants have impacted the behavioral and metabolic risk factors among the general population, contributing to the rise of NCDs.3
Jumleti is located in the region of Western Region. Western Region’s capital, Pokhara is approximately 2.6 km away from Jumleti.
Materials and Methods
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among people living in village Jumleti which is a field practice area of Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara. The study was conducted from 1 May 2019 to 28 May 2019. The study population included all the members of the household who were visited during the study period. Of the total population of 1000-1500, 14 families were selected from our field practice area.
A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the information by doing a house-to-house survey.
After explaining the purpose of the study, all those who were willing to participate were included in the study. Information was collected from the responsible member present in the household after obtaining informed consent. Locked houses were re-visited and if they remained locked, such houses were not taken into consideration.
The pre-designed questionnaire consisted of questions related to sociodemographic information of the participants and history of any morbidity. The questionnaire was administered by trained health workers of the Community Medicine department of MCOMS, Pokhara.
Result
A total of 14 families were analyzed which consisted of 70 subjects out of which 41.2% were male, 35.71% were female and 22.85% were children (age group 0-15 years). The majority (22.85%) belonged to age group >55, followed by 25-35 (17.1%) years of age.
Table 1: Socio-demographic variables of the study population (n=70)
Statistical Analysis
Data collected were entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using open epi info. The data were presented in percentages and proportions. The chisquare test/Fisher exact test was used to find the association between the place of residence and demographics.
Discussion
The primary aim of the current study was to examine the morbidity pattern among the general population residing in a rural area of Western Nepal. The findings revealed that approximately 32.85% of the study population exhibited morbidity during the survey period. Hypertension emerged as the most frequently reported morbidity, followed by gastritis, arthritis, and other conditions.
In a screening camp-based study conducted by Gopalkrishna et al. in rural Tamil Nadu, approximately 9.7% of patients were reported to have non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These included osteoarthritis, cataracts, hypertension, other cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, as well as chronic respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In our study, the predominant morbidity identified was hypertension, accounting for 21.8% of cases.4
In a study conducted by S. Salman et al. in Karachi, Pakistan, the majority of the population under study were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, asthma, hepatitis, arthritis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hypothyroidism, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It was noted that many of these individuals were the primary breadwinners in their families. Similarly, our study identified morbidity patterns including hypertension, gastritis, arthritis, asthma, diabetes mellitus, and other conditions. Additionally, our findings indicated that chronic illnesses were more
prevalent among the female population, who were not necessarily the sole providers for their families.5
A study conducted in Tripura identified acute respiratory infections as the most prevalent type of morbidity, accounting for 31.10% of cases, followed by musculoskeletal disorders at 17.78%. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension constituted 13.70% of all morbidities. In contrast, our study observed respiratory and musculoskeletal issues as common problems; however, the predominant condition was hypertension.6
In contrast to our findings, a study conducted by Mane et al. in a tertiary care hospital in Tamil Nadu found musculoskeletal disorders to be the most prevalent morbidity, followed by gastrointestinal and skin disorders.7
Conclusion
The current study examined a total of 70 subjects, comprising 29 males, 25 females, and 16 children (aged 0-15 years). The majority of participants were in the age group above 55 years, followed by those aged 25-35 years (17.1%). Morbidity was observed in 32.85% of the study population during the survey, with the most common conditions being hypertension, gastritis, arthritis, asthma, and others. Additionally, it was noted that females were more affected compared to males.
Reference
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3. Ministry of Health and Population. Available from:
https://www.mohp.gov.np/eng/index.php/ncd
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Authors:
First author; corresponding author: Dr. Priya Karna, Manipal College of Medical
Sciences. priya.karna120@gmail.com. +9779860440629
Second author: Dr. Amit Kumar Thakur, Manipal College of Medical Sciences.
neuroamit012@gmail.com. +9779840065937
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