Year: 2022 | Month: December | Volume 11 | Issue 4
SDG on Health and Socio-economic Barriers: An Empirical Study in Bihar
Shakeel Ahmed
DOI:10.46852/2249-6637.04.2022.2
Abstract:
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on health ensures healthy lives and promotes well-being for all at all ages. Sufficient and equitable distribution of resources is imperative on the one hand while addressing both institutional and non-institutional barriers
is also important on the other hand. Among the non-institutional barriers, socioeconomic factors significantly contribute to the
health and well-being of an individual. In this paper, the socio-economic barriers to healthcare access are studied in the context
of Bihar. The study is based on secondary data that is taken from NSS 75th round survey: consumption on health (2017-18). The
logistic regression model is used to check the significance of the relationship between healthcare access and socio-economic factors like Age, Gender, Income, Caste and Religion. The result is presented through Graphs and Charts followed by a discussion and conclusion. The study shows that all the socioeconomic attributes are significantly associated with non-access to healthcare access on all India level. However, in Bihar, only income class and education are significant barriers. Further, ‘non-chronic illness’ and ‘medical services not free’ are the two most significant barriers to healthcare access in both India and Bihar. The concentration
graph shows a large variation in healthcare access across the income quintiles. It means, the barriers to healthcare access are largely concentrated among the poor and thus, the current health programs are pro-rich. According to the result, appropriate measures are suggested at both the household and state levels to reduce the barriers to healthcare access. A comprehensive and holistic approach to health services can only ensure the achievement of SDG – 3 (Health).
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