SOCIOECONOMIC, DEMOGRAPHIC, HOUSING, WASH, AND HEALTH-SERVICE PROFILE OF SCHEDULED CASTE SUB-PLAN (SCSP) BENEFICIARY FAMILIES IN HYDERABAD, INDIA - 2024-25
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21995392Keywords:
Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan; socioeconomic survey; household demography; water, sanitation and hygiene; health-seeking behaviour; maternal and child health; Unani medicine; Hyderabad.Abstract
Background: The Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) supports targeted welfare and health interventions for socially and economically disadvantaged communities. NRIUMSD, Hyderabad, undertook a household survey to establish a baseline profile of beneficiary communities reached through its SCSP outreach activities.
Objectives: To describe the demographic and socio-economic profile of the surveyed population; assess housing and household amenities; evaluate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions; examine health-seeking behaviour and health-care access; and assess maternal, postnatal and child health service utilisation.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional household survey was conducted during 2024–25 across five outreach localities in Hyderabad. A total of 595 individuals from 167 families were enumerated using a pre-structured household schedule. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations, were calculated; household-level indicators used the family denominator (n=167), while individual and applicable maternal/child indicators used their relevant denominators.
Results: The mean age was 35.9 years (SD 18.0), and 72.6% of respondents were female. Scheduled Caste participants constituted 75.1%, followed by Scheduled Tribe (14.6%) and OBC (10.3%). Overall literacy was 83.8%, with unskilled labour (29.7%), housework (26.7%) and studying (26.3%) as the leading occupational categories. Electricity was available in 93.0% of families, 82.5% lived in pucca houses, and 93.6% used piped water. However, 97.5% reported interrupted water supply and only 44.4% had closed drainage; 90.0% had flush toilets. A government health institution was reported in 89.6% of localities. Maternal and child health indicators were generally favourable: 96.8% of deliveries occurred in hospitals, 98.8% were conducted by doctors, and childhood immunisation coverage was high, while only 30.7% of pregnant women were registered at a family welfare centre during pregnancy.
Conclusion: The survey demonstrates substantial reach of SCSP outreach among disadvantaged communities and generally favourable housing, sanitation, health-care access and maternal-child health indicators. Priority areas for intervention include continuity of water supply, drainage, female literacy and livelihood opportunities, early antenatal registration, growth monitoring and supplementary nutrition. These findings provide a practical baseline for strengthening targeted community health education, preventive care, Unani outreach and welfare planning.
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References
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