The National Family Health Survey 2015-16 (NFHS-4) reports unveiled recently has shown alarming trends for the residents of the State as they are in the grip of or prone to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
According to the report, 3.4 per cent males residing in Jharkhand suffer from high blood sugar level, while 7.7 per cent men are pre-diabetic. Similarly, 2.1 per cent women have high blood sugar level, whereas 4.9 per cent females are at Pre-Diabetic stage, says the report.
The NFHS, for the first time included the pervasiveness of Diabetes falling in the age group 15-49 years and dominance of hypertension among adults besides covering various other areas of individual wellbeing that includes tobacco use, alcohol consumption among the adults, knowledge of HIV/AIDS, marriage and fertility, infant and mortality rate, unmet need for family planning etc. among the major findings.
As many as 5.9 per cent females falling in the age group 15-49 years of the total population is suffering from high blood pressure (systolic 140-159 mm of Hg) whereas 9.3 per cent males in Jharkhand have high blood pressure problem.
As per the report, knowledge and awareness about HIV/AIDS among females has considerably increased in 10 years with 15.8 per cent of women having adequate information about HIV/AIDS where earlier only 11.8 per cent women were aware about the facts related to HIV/AIDS as mentioned in NFHS-3 survey report conducted in 2005-06. Contrarily, males who are aware about HIV/AIDS are less in numbers with just 18.0 per cent men having knowledge about HIV/AIDS whereas according to 2005-06 survey report around 25.2 per cent men were having comprehensive knowledge about HIV/AIDS.
Considering tobacco use and alcohol consumption among the adults in Jharkhand, only 5.8 per cent females here in Jharkhand consume intoxicants. The survey has shown the declining trend this year as earlier in 2005-06, 11.6 per cent females were addicted to some or the other kind of intoxicants.
According to the report around 48.6 per cent men consume tobacco while 39.3 percent males drink alcohol. The survey conducted in Jharkhand from April 2016 to November 2016 by Development and Research Services Private limited (DRS) has covered 25,723 households including 29, 046 women and 3,820 men.