K. S. Mohindra|Slim Haddad|D. Narayana
Women's health in a rural community in Kerala, India: do caste and socioeconomic position matter?
Saint-Gobain (Canada)|Saint-Gobain (Canada)
objectives examine social patterning womens selfreported health status india validity two hypotheses 1 low caste lower socioeconomic position associated worse reported health status 2 associations socioeconomic position reported health status vary across castesdesign crosssectional household survey ageadjusted percentages odds ratios multilevel multinomial logistic regression models used analysissetting panchayat territorial decentralised unit kerala india 2003participants 4196 nonelderly womenoutcome measures selfperceived health status reported limitations activities daily livingresults women lower castes scheduled castesscheduled tribes scst backward castes obc reported higher prevalence poor health women forward castessocioeconomic inequalities observed health regardless indicators education womens employment status household landholdingsthe multilevel multinomial models indicate associations socioeconomic indicators health vary across casteamong scst obc women influence socioeconomic variables led magnifying effect whereas among forward caste women buffering effect foundamong lower caste women associations socioeconomic factors selfassessed health graded associations strongest comparing lowest highest ratings healthconclusions even relatively egalitarian state india caste socioeconomic inequalities womens healthimplementing interventions concomitantly deal caste socioeconomic disparities likely produce equitable results targeting either type inequality isolation