Shanlax International Journal of Economics

Factors Influencing Choice of Health Care Providers Among Women in Tamil Nadu, India

2025-09-01T13:48:12+00:00

Medical advancements have increased human life expectancy. Seeking healthcare at the right time of need is important. There are physical and financial barriers to access healthcare. The obstacles for women from seeking curative care are complex. Public healthcare is a means of achieving universal health coverage. The morbidity rate among women is on a rise, but seeking health care does not show a significant improvement (NFHS 4 and 5 rounds). For empirical substantiation, India and Tamil Nadu, a better-performing state in health indicators, were used for the analysis. The objectives of the study were to identify the factors influencing the preferences of women for curative care and reasons for the non-utilisation of public health care facilities. Secondary data from the National Family Health Survey 5 (2019 – 2020) were used. The binary Logistic model was applied to identify the factors influencing the probability of choice of healthcare providers by women. Spatial maps were used to represent differentials in public healthcare usage. Women in eleven states and union territories seek more public care (31%). Less than 30% of the public care is sought in Bihar, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Compared to urban folks, rural people access public care more by 9%. Physical availability plays a vital role in access. Long waiting times, poor quality service, and lack of nearby facilities are the main reasons for pushing to access private care both at the national and state levels. Since increasing the number of public care units is a long-term goal, an immediate improvement can be made by extending their operating hours, allowing them to serve a larger population. Micro-studies probing obstacles to public care would increase their share of access through further directions.

Beneficiaries’ Satisfaction Towards the Public Distribution System (PDS) Among PHH and AAY Cardholders in the Selected Districts of Assam: A Survey-Based Study

2025-09-01T13:48:12+00:00

India’s Public Distribution System (PDS) plays an important role in the nation’s food security strategy, particularly for economically disadvantaged groups in rural regions. Although policy enhancements and digital interventions have been introduced, the system continues to struggling with the issues that reflect beneficiary satisfaction. This study aims to identify the key dimensions of beneficiary satisfaction and evaluates the satisfaction levels and influencing factors among PDS beneficiaries in two purposively selected districts of Assam, Barpeta and Kamrup (Rural), focusing on individuals holding Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Household (PHH) ration cards. Data were gathered from 400 households through a structured survey Questionnaire. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), five critical dimensions of satisfaction were identified: (1) Administrative Processes and Pricing Transparency, (2) Entitlement Fulfillment and Availability, (3) Staff Conduct and Service Delivery, (4) Household Food Security and Grain Quality, and (5) Integrity and Documentation-Related Issues. Multiple regression results confirmed that all five factors significantly influenced overall satisfaction, with the strongest predictor being household food security and the perceived quality of grains. The study concludes with policy recommendations and highlights the need for future research focusing on longitudinal analysis and comparative studies across different Indian states to further explore regional disparities in PDS performance.

Consumption Behaviour of Women House Hold on Organic Fruits and Vegetables of Traditional Varieties and its Health Impact: With Reference to Velachery in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

2025-09-01T13:48:12+00:00

Sustainability- Millennium Development Goals of 2030- debated topic- vital in the research domain- Sustainability and food consumption- Economic transformation- Organic food- Health and Organic Vegetables and Fruits- consumption behavior of Women House hold - environmentally sustainable organic food particularly fruits and vegetables of traditional varieties - Buying locally produced or organically produced food - developing the habit to maintain organic garden domestically - essential to change eating patterns to more sustainable- Lack of fruit and vegetables in the human diet- unsustainable consumer behavior- availability of organic fruits and vegetables of traditional variety in the study area - match with the changing consumption behavior of Women in the House hold – an empirical work- a sample of 115 respondents from Velachery - using a simple random sampling technique - through structured questionnaires- - middle aged, educated women house hold - within the income group of 30,000 to 50,000 monthly - live with a small family in Apartments and independent houses -strongly prefer organic produce such as Fruits and Vegetables of traditional varieties - shop weekly -Health considerations - grow Terrace gardens -meet growing need -Health benefits - primary motivator - home gardening - better quality produce and Cost saving - a great challenge for the women - home gardens self-sufficient -brought changes in the health status of the consumers -reduced medical expenditure.

Socio-Economic Conditions of Women Construction Workers: A Case Study of Chamarajanagara City, Karnataka

2025-09-01T13:48:12+00:00

This study investigated the various challenges faced by female construction workers. Despite playing a vital role in social reproduction and economic production, women workers remain largely ignored and invisible in formal labor statistics and legal protections. This paper highlights important problems, including gender-based wage discrimination, unfavourable working conditions, lack of social security, and absence of legal safeguards such as overtime pay, standardised working hours, health, and maternity benefits. Women construction workers are especially vulnerable and face irregular incomes, high living expenses, dependence on unofficial credit sources, and frequent exploitation by local authorities. Furthermore, systemic problems such as sexual harassment, workplace intolerance, denial of terminal benefits, and inadequate healthcare underscore the broader neglect of labor rights in this sector. The present study focuses on investigating the socioeconomic status of female construction workers and evaluating the difficulties they encounter in the study area. In order to assess the socio economic status, working condition of the women construction workers in Chamarajanagara city, 55 sample respondents were selected. A convenience sampling method was adopted to collect primary data with the help of an interview schedule. The findings show that the majority of unskilled female workers were paid less compared to their counterparts. The major problems faced by women construction workers are the lack of security, there is no security for their life at working site. This study would be beneficial for the government, construction organizations, and women who are willing to work in the construction industry-related disciplines.