THE IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS ON VARIOUS GYNECOLOGICAL DISORDERS AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IN URBAN AND RURAL WOMEN IN VADODARA, GUJARAT.

Abstract

Background: Socioeconomic status is a measurement of an individual or a family of its social standing and ability to achieve education, occupation, and healthcare access opportunities. Physical health could be assessed with signs and symptoms but to assess mental health-specific techniques are to be utilized of which questioning is one.

Objectives: This study was done to check the impact of different socioeconomic classes and demographic conditions of urban and rural women on their gynaecological health and mental health.

Materials and methods: A comparative cross-sectional prospective study was conducted in two tertiary care hospitals. The study sample size was 300 with 150 participants from each site.

Results: The age group 31-35 years (20%) was commonly affected at the urban site while at the rural site the age group was 21-25 years (20%). The affected socioeconomic group in an urban setting was the upper middle class (30%) and lower middle class (24%) and in the rural area, it was the upper lower class (56.7%). The incidence of menorrhagia (22.6%) was higher in rural areas while urinary tract infection (UTI) was higher (28%) in the urban area. The general health questionnaire 12(GHQ 12) was utilized to evaluate participants' mental health. The average score of GHQ-12 was 17. 17 in the rural part while 20.26 in the urban part. This study shows an added mental aggressor in urban women compared to rural women.

Conclusion: Correlation between socioeconomic class and mental health could be found in rural populations but in urban areas, it could not be, due to non-compliance.