www.IndianJournals.com Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale Downloaded From IP - 122.176.167.166 on dated 25-Jun-2018 Indian Journal of Health Sciences and Care Vol. 4, No. 1, April, 2017, pp- 1-4 DOI: 10.5958/2394-2800.2017.00001.3 1 Original Research Article IndianJournals.com A product of Diva Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. Comparative Morbidity and Health Seeking Behavior among School Children of Government and Public Rural Schools Balbir S Deswal 1 , Ved Prakash Gupta 2 , Shubham Girdhar 3 , Manisha Singh 3 ,Ved Prakash Yadav 3 , Tarun Verma 4 , Mohit Gulati 5 , Richa 6 , Rashmi 6 , Surender Kumar 6 , BR Chinmay 7 , Shourya Tandon 8 , Sachin Chand 9 , SK Agnihotri 10 , TD Dogra 11 1 Professor, 2 Associate Professor, 3 PG Resident, Department of Community Medicine, FMHS, SGT University, Gurugram 4 Professor and Head of the Department, Faculty of Behaviour Sciences, SGT University, Gurugram 5 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Physiotherapy, SGT University, Gurugram 6 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing, SGT University, Gurugram 7 Professor, 8 Associate Professor, 9 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dental Sciences SGT University, Gurugram 10 Project Advisor, SGT University, Gurugram 11 ProChancellor, SGT University, Gurugram *Corresponding author email id: deswalbs@gmail.com ABSTRACT School children from 20% of total population of India which is vulnerable than rest of population for infection and malnutrition and can be easily form prevented by promotion of nutrition, personal hygiene and early diagnosis and treatment of disease. The main objective of the study is to compare morbidity pattern and health seeking behaviour among Government and Private school children among rural areas of Gurugram, Haryana. A health team was constituted to carry out school health survey in three different schools. All children were subjected to anthropometric measurements including Height, Weight, BMI, General Examination, followed systematic examination including visual and ENT check up by trained medical professionals. Individual’s health cards were prepared as per National Heath Mission Performa and handed over to school. Students requiring specialist care were referred to SGT Medical college hospital/ dental clinic for the needful. Out of 631 school children examined 420 were from government school and 211 from private school. 38.73% children of government school and 13.74% children of private school had one or more morbidity condition. 36.19% children of government schools and 12.79% of private schools had refractive errors. The present study revealed 11.43% students reported teeth problems in government schools and 4.73% in private school. Government health services are better utilized by their school children than those of private school. The study concluded that morbidity is significantly more among children of government school as compared to those studying in private school. Government health services are better utilized by government school children than those of private school Keywords: School health, Morbidity, Health seeking behavior INTRODUCTION Health of child is viewed as absence of disease and not as comprehensive health in developing countries. School children form 20% of total population of India which is vulnerable than rest of population for infection and malnutrition and can be easily prevented by promotion of nutrition, personal hygiene and early diagnosis and treatment of disease 1 . Health problem of school children vary from one place to another. Surveys carried out indicate that the main emphasis will fall in malnutrition, infectious disease, intestinal parasites, diseases of skin, eye and ear and dental caries 1 . The World Health Organization Expert Committee on school health services noted as long as 1950 that “to learn effectively, children need good health” 2 . These health problems can make learning difficult and may seriously hamper the educational process and child’s intellectual growth and may also handicap the child for