🧠 Important for NORCET, NHM, AIIMS, GPSC, RRB, ESIC & Nursing Competitive Exams
India faces a dual burden of disease:
🔹 Communicable Diseases (Infections)
🔹 Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
🔹 Nutritional Deficiencies
🔹 Mental Health Disorders
🔹 Maternal & Child Health Challenges
🔹 Environmental & Occupational Hazards
| 🔹 Disease | 🔬 Examples |
|---|---|
| Water-borne | Diarrhea, Cholera, Hepatitis A & E |
| Vector-borne | Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, Filariasis |
| Air-borne | TB, Influenza, Measles |
| Sexually Transmitted | HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, Gonorrhea |
🎯 Reasons: Poor sanitation, unsafe drinking water, low awareness
| 🔹 Condition | 🔬 Examples |
|---|---|
| Cardiovascular Diseases | Hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease |
| Metabolic Disorders | Diabetes, Obesity |
| Respiratory | COPD, Asthma |
| Cancers | Oral, Breast, Cervical, Lung |
🎯 Causes: Unhealthy diet, sedentary life, stress, pollution
| 🧊 Type | 🔬 Examples |
|---|---|
| Under-nutrition | Protein-Energy Malnutrition (PEM), Anemia |
| Over-nutrition | Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes |
| Micronutrient Deficiency | Iron, Iodine, Vitamin A, Zinc |
🎯 Common in: Children, pregnant women, tribal populations
| 🔹 Issue | 💭 Examples |
|---|---|
| Depression & Anxiety | Common in youth, elderly, urban areas |
| Substance Abuse | Alcohol, tobacco, drugs |
| Neurodevelopmental | Autism, ADHD |
| Psychiatric | Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder |
🎯 Challenges: Stigma, lack of mental health professionals
| 🍼 Common Issues | 🔬 Examples |
|---|---|
| High MMR & IMR | Unsafe deliveries, sepsis, anemia |
| Low Immunization Rates | Especially in rural/slum areas |
| Malnutrition in Children | Wasting, stunting, underweight |
| Teenage Pregnancy | Higher risk of complications |
🎯 Focus: RMNCH+A, JSY, ICDS, Poshan Abhiyaan
| ⚠️ Type | 🔬 Examples |
|---|---|
| Air Pollution | COPD, asthma, lung cancer |
| Water Pollution | Diarrhea, Hepatitis, arsenicosis |
| Workplace Injuries | Chemical exposure, accidents |
| Heat Stress | Construction and agricultural workers |
🎯 Programs: National Clean Air Program, Pollution Control Acts
✅ Dual burden of communicable & NCDs
✅ Malnutrition (under and over)
✅ MCH concerns
✅ Mental health neglected
✅ Environmental threats
✅ Health access inequality
| 🏥 Program | 🎯 Focus |
|---|---|
| NHM (NRHM + NUHM) | Strengthen health infra & services |
| Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY + HWCs) | UHC and financial protection |
| RMNCH+A | Women and child health |
| RNTCP/NTEP | Tuberculosis elimination |
| NPCDCS | NCD control |
| ICDS & Poshan Abhiyaan | Nutrition support for women/children |
| Mental Health Programme (NMHP) | Mental illness care and counseling |
✅ Q1. Which disease is both air-borne and a major public health problem in India?
🅰️ Tuberculosis
✅ Q2. What is the major reason for under-5 mortality in India?
🅰️ Malnutrition and diarrhea
✅ Q3. National Health Mission was launched to address —
🅰️ Rural and urban health infrastructure and service gaps
✅ Q4. Iron-deficiency anemia is most common among —
🅰️ Pregnant women and adolescent girls
✅ Q5. Which pollution is responsible for most NCDs in India?
🅰️ Air Pollution
🧠 Important for NORCET, AIIMS, NHM, ESIC, GPSC, RRB & State Nursing Exams
Communicable Diseases are illnesses caused by infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi that can be transmitted from person to person, animal to person, or through contaminated food/water, air, or vectors.
| 📌 Indicator | 📊 Latest Data / Estimate (as per Govt. & WHO sources) |
|---|---|
| 🧬 Communicable diseases’ share in total DALYs | 🔴 ~27% (as per ICMR 2023) |
| ⚰️ Deaths from communicable diseases | 🔴 ~24% of all deaths in India (down from ~50% in 1990s) |
| 👶 Child deaths due to infections | 🔴 ~50% under-five deaths caused by pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria |
| 🦟 Malaria cases (India, 2022) | 🔴 174,000 confirmed cases |
| 🧫 TB incidence rate (2022) | 🔴 199 per 100,000 population (~2.8 million cases) |
| 🧪 HIV prevalence (2023) | 🔴 0.21% of adults (15–49 years) ~2.4 million people |
| 💦 Diarrheal disease deaths (all ages) | 🔴 ~5% of total deaths (primarily due to unsafe water & poor sanitation) |
| 🧪 Leprosy prevalence (March 2023) | 🔴 ~85,000 active cases |
| 🧬 Dengue cases (2023) | 🔴 >2.5 lakh reported with >100 deaths |
| 🧫 Hepatitis B/C estimated cases | 🔴 ~40 million hepatitis B; ~6–12 million hepatitis C |
| 💊 Program | 🧭 Focus Area |
|---|---|
| NTEP (RNTCP) | Tuberculosis |
| National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) | Malaria, Dengue, Kala-azar, Filaria, Chikungunya |
| Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) | Early detection and monitoring of outbreaks |
| NACO – National AIDS Control Programme | HIV/AIDS awareness, treatment, PMTCT |
| National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) | Early detection, community rehabilitation |
| Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) | Vaccine-preventable diseases (measles, hepatitis B, etc.) |
| Jal Jeevan Mission + Swachh Bharat Abhiyan | Indirectly reduce diarrheal & water-borne diseases |
✅ Q1. What is India’s target year for TB elimination?
🅰️ 2025
✅ Q2. Which vector transmits both Dengue and Chikungunya?
🅰️ Aedes aegypti
✅ Q3. What percentage of child deaths in India are due to infectious diseases?
🅰️ ~50%
✅ Q4. Which program monitors outbreak-prone diseases at district level?
🅰️ Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)
✅ Q5. What is India’s estimated HIV prevalence?
🅰️ 0.21%
🧠 Vital for NORCET, AIIMS, NHM, RRB, GPSC, ESIC & Nursing Competitive Exams
🧠 Definition:
NCDs are chronic diseases that are not transmitted from person to person. They develop slowly and last for a long time, often causing disability and premature death.
🧪 Main Types:
| 📌 Indicator | 📊 Current Data (ICMR, WHO, MoHFW) |
|---|---|
| 🔹 NCDs share of total deaths in India | ✅ 66–70% of all deaths |
| 🔹 DALYs lost due to NCDs | ✅ ~60% of total burden (DALY = Disability Adjusted Life Years) |
| 🔹 Premature mortality (age 30–70) due to NCDs | ✅ 1 in 4 adults (25%) risk dying early from NCDs |
| ❤️ CVDs (Cardiovascular) deaths | ✅ Leading cause (28% of all deaths) |
| 🫁 Chronic respiratory disease deaths | ✅ 10% of all deaths |
| 🩸 Diabetes prevalence (2023) | ✅ ~11.4% among adults (~101 million people) |
| 🧪 Hypertension prevalence | ✅ ~29% in adults; many undiagnosed |
| 🧬 Cancer incidence | ✅ ~1.4 million new cases/year |
| 🧠 Mental illness prevalence | ✅ ~10% of Indian adults (~150 million need care) |
| 🚨 Modifiable Risk Factor | 🔥 Impact |
|---|---|
| 🚬 Tobacco Use | Oral/lung cancers, CVD, stroke |
| 🍟 Unhealthy Diet | Obesity, diabetes, CVD |
| 🍻 Alcohol Consumption | Liver disease, cancer, accidents |
| 🪑 Physical Inactivity | Obesity, diabetes, depression |
| 😰 Stress | Mental health issues, hypertension |
| 🌫️ Air Pollution | COPD, asthma, cancer |
| 💊 Program | 🎯 Focus Area |
|---|---|
| NPCDCS (2010) | Diabetes, CVDs, cancer, stroke |
| NTCP (2007) | National Tobacco Control Program |
| NP-NCD (2023)* | Comprehensive NCD screening & prevention |
| NPHCE | National Program for Health Care of Elderly |
| FIT India Movement | Physical activity promotion |
| National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) | Counseling, psychiatry services |
| Ayushman Bharat – HWCs | NCD screening at community level |
✅ Q1. What percentage of total deaths in India are due to NCDs?
🅰️ ~66–70%
✅ Q2. Most common NCD in India is —
🅰️ Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs)
✅ Q3. NPCDCS covers which diseases?
🅰️ Diabetes, cancer, stroke, CVD
✅ Q4. FIT India Movement promotes —
🅰️ Physical activity and healthy lifestyle
✅ Q5. What is the diabetes prevalence in India as per ICMR 2023?
🅰️ 11.4% (~101 million people)
🧠 Essential for NORCET, AIIMS, NHM, ESIC, RRB, GPSC & State Nursing Exams
Nutritional problems refer to health conditions caused by imbalanced, insufficient, or excessive intake of nutrients, including both under-nutrition and over-nutrition.
| 📌 Indicator | 📉 Latest Statistics (India) |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Stunting (Height-for-age) – under 5 yrs | 35.5% children (NFHS-5) |
| 🔴 Wasting (Weight-for-height) | 19.3% children |
| 🔴 Underweight (Weight-for-age) | 32.1% children |
| 🔴 Anemia in children (6–59 months) | 67.1% |
| 🔴 Anemia in women (15–49 years) | 57% |
| 🔴 Anemia in pregnant women | 52.2% |
| 🔴 Obesity in women (15–49 years) | 24% |
| 🔴 Obesity in men (15–49 years) | 22.9% |
| 🔴 Vitamin A deficiency (children <5 yrs) | ~20% (as per CNNS) |
| 🔴 Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) | ~13% of school-aged children affected |
| 🍎 Deficiency | ⚠️ Health Problem |
|---|---|
| Iron | Iron-deficiency anemia – fatigue, poor growth |
| Vitamin A | Night blindness, xerophthalmia, infections |
| Iodine | Goiter, mental retardation, cretinism |
| Zinc | Impaired growth, poor immunity |
| Protein-calorie | PEM – Marasmus, Kwashiorkor |
| Folic Acid/Vit B12 | Neural tube defects, megaloblastic anemia |
🔹 Poverty and food insecurity
🔹 Low dietary diversity
🔹 Poor maternal health & adolescent nutrition
🔹 Gender bias in food distribution
🔹 Lack of nutrition education
🔹 Cultural feeding practices
🔹 Infections (diarrhea, worms)
| 🏛️ Program | 🎯 Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) | Supplementary nutrition, preschool education |
| Poshan Abhiyaan (2018) | Mission Nutrition – convergence & behavior change |
| Mid-Day Meal Scheme | School children nutrition |
| Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) | Iron-folic acid for 6 months–19 years |
| Vitamin A Prophylaxis Programme | Children <5 yrs |
| National Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Programme (NIDDCP) | Universal salt iodization |
| Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) & JSSK | Indirect impact through better maternal nutrition |
✅ Growth monitoring (use of MUAC, weight chart)
✅ Educating mothers on breastfeeding, complementary feeding
✅ Deworming & iron-folic acid distribution
✅ Referral of SAM/MAM cases
✅ Promote kitchen gardens & dietary diversity
✅ Q1. What percentage of Indian children under 5 are stunted?
🅰️ 35.5% (NFHS-5)
✅ Q2. Anemia is most prevalent among which group in India?
🅰️ Children under 5 years (~67%)
✅ Q3. What does PEM stand for?
🅰️ Protein Energy Malnutrition
✅ Q4. Name a national program focused on reducing anemia in adolescents.
🅰️ Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB)
✅ Q5. What is the main cause of night blindness in children?
🅰️ Vitamin A deficiency
🧠 Critical for NORCET, NHM, AIIMS, RRB, GPSC, ESIC & State Nursing Exams
Mental health problems refer to disorders that affect mood, thinking, behavior, and emotional well-being. These may range from depression and anxiety to severe psychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
| 📌 Indicator | 📈 Latest Statistics (Sources: NMHS, WHO, NIMHANS, ICMR) |
|---|---|
| 🧠 Mental illness prevalence (all ages) | ~10.6% of population (~150 million people need mental health services) |
| 🧒 Adolescent mental disorders (13–17 yrs) | ~7.3% (higher in urban areas) |
| 🧑🎓 Depression prevalence (15+ yrs) | ~5% (around 45 million people) |
| 😰 Anxiety disorders prevalence | ~3.5% |
| 🚬 Substance Use Disorders (alcohol/drugs) | ~2.8% (adults); men > women |
| 💉 Suicide rate in India (2023) | ~11.3 per 100,000 population |
| 👩🦱 Women with postpartum depression | ~22% (undetected in many cases) |
| 🧾 Treatment gap for mental illness | ~83% (people needing care but not receiving it) |
| 🧠 Disorder | ⚠️ Features |
|---|---|
| Depression | Sadness, loss of interest, fatigue, sleep issues |
| Anxiety Disorders | Panic attacks, phobia, generalized anxiety |
| Bipolar Disorder | Alternating mania and depression |
| Schizophrenia | Delusions, hallucinations, social withdrawal |
| OCD (Obsessive Compulsive) | Repetitive thoughts & compulsive behaviors |
| Substance Use Disorders | Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, opioids |
| Dementia/Alzheimer’s | Memory loss, confusion, elderly population |
| ⚠️ Risk Factor | 💭 Effect |
|---|---|
| Genetic / Family history | Increased vulnerability |
| Social isolation, poverty | Depression, anxiety |
| Substance abuse | Dual diagnosis |
| Childhood trauma | Long-term psychological impact |
| Work/study pressure | Anxiety, burnout, depression |
| Gender-based violence | PTSD, depression in women |
| 🏛️ Program / Scheme | 🎯 Focus |
|---|---|
| NMHP (National Mental Health Programme) | Awareness, treatment, integration with primary care |
| DMHP (District Mental Health Programme) | Mental health services at district hospitals |
| MANAS App (GoI 2021) | Mental well-being, stress management digitally |
| National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022) | First dedicated policy for suicide reduction |
| Tele MANAS (2022) | Toll-free 24×7 tele-mental health helpline: 14416 |
| School Mental Health Programme | Early detection in adolescents and school-going children |
✅ Counseling & psychosocial support
✅ Early identification using screening tools
✅ Crisis intervention (especially in suicide cases)
✅ Promoting mental health education at community level
✅ Rehabilitation support for chronic psychiatric patients
✅ Ensuring medication compliance
✅ Q1. What is the estimated treatment gap for mental illness in India?
🅰️ ~83%
✅ Q2. Which mental health app was launched by GoI for the public in 2021?
🅰️ MANAS App
✅ Q3. Most prevalent mental health issue among adolescents is —
🅰️ Anxiety and Depression
✅ Q4. Tele-MANAS is a helpline number for —
🅰️ Mental health support (Call 14416)
✅ Q5. Name the national mental health initiative working at district level.
🅰️ DMHP – District Mental Health Programme
🧠 Essential for NORCET, AIIMS, NHM, GPSC, RRB, ESIC & State Nursing Exams
India’s medical health services aim to ensure universal, affordable, and accessible healthcare, but face several chronic issues that hinder quality and equity in delivery — especially in rural and underserved areas.
| 🏛️ Initiative | 🎯 Purpose |
|---|---|
| Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY + HWCs) | Reduce financial burden & strengthen PHC |
| National Health Mission (NHM) | Infrastructure & manpower strengthening |
| Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) | Upgradation of AIIMS-like institutes |
| Digital Health Mission (NDHM) | Promote e-health records, telemedicine |
| HR recruitment via NHM, CHO | Bridge rural health worker gap |
✅ Efficient service delivery
✅ Health education & counseling
✅ Strengthen referral chain
✅ Participate in outreach and health camps
✅ Ensure infection control and documentation
✅ Q1. What % of India’s GDP is spent on public health?
🅰️ ~2%
✅ Q2. What is the main reason for overcrowding in tertiary hospitals?
🅰️ Poor referral system and bypassing of primary care
✅ Q3. Which scheme aims to provide ₹5 lakh insurance to poor families?
🅰️ Ayushman Bharat – PM-JAY
✅ Q4. The biggest health system gap in rural India is —
🅰️ Lack of trained healthcare professionals
✅ Q5. National Digital Health Mission aims to promote —
🅰️ Electronic health records and digital health services
🧠 Important for NORCET, NHM, RRB, AIIMS, GPSC & Community Health Nursing Exams
🧠 Definition:
Population explosion refers to a sudden, rapid, and unchecked increase in the population, especially when birth rate exceeds death rate significantly over a short period.
📌 It becomes a problem when the population growth rate exceeds the carrying capacity of resources like food, water, shelter, education, and healthcare.
| 📌 Indicator | 📈 Data (Sources: UNFPA, MoHFW, Census) |
|---|---|
| Total Population (2024 est.) | ~1.43 Billion (overtook China in 2023) |
| Growth Rate | ~0.9% per annum (declining trend) |
| Fertility Rate (TFR) | 2.0 (NFHS-5, almost at replacement level) |
| Urbanization Rate | ~36% |
| Youth Population (15–24 yrs) | >250 million (largest in the world) |
| 🚨 Cause | 🧾 Explanation |
|---|---|
| 🔹 High birth rate | Due to cultural and social beliefs |
| 🔹 Early marriage | Leads to longer reproductive span |
| 🔹 Low female literacy | Less awareness of family planning |
| 🔹 Poor access to contraception | Limited in rural and tribal areas |
| 🔹 Religious & cultural preferences | Preference for male child |
| 🔹 Decline in death rate | Due to better healthcare, but birth rate still high |
| 🧠 Strategy | 🎯 Action |
|---|---|
| 📚 Education | Promote female literacy & awareness |
| 💊 Family Planning | Encourage spacing, small family norms |
| 🩺 Improved Health Services | Reduce infant/maternal mortality |
| 👰 Delay Age of Marriage | Legal enforcement & community awareness |
| 📺 Mass Media Campaigns | Promote contraception and 2-child norm |
| 🎁 Incentives & Disincentives | Cash, land, job benefits; restrictions on excess children in jobs or elections |
| 🏥 Program Name | 🧭 Year & Focus |
|---|---|
| National Family Planning Programme | 📅 1952 – World’s first official FP program |
| Target-Free Approach (TFA) | 📅 1996 – Client-centered voluntary adoption |
| Mission Parivar Vikas (MPV) | 📅 2017 – High focus on 146 districts in 7 states |
| RMNCH+A Strategy | Reproductive-Maternal-Newborn-Child-Adolescent health |
| JSY & JSSK | Improve maternal survival and birth spacing |
✅ Q1. When was India’s Family Planning Program launched?
🅰️ 1952
✅ Q2. Which factor contributes the most to population explosion?
🅰️ High birth rate
✅ Q3. Which district-based initiative was launched in 2017 for population stabilization?
🅰️ Mission Parivar Vikas
✅ Q4. What is the Total Fertility Rate in India as per NFHS-5?
🅰️ 2.0
✅ Q5. Which state in India has the highest fertility rate?
🅰️ Bihar (TFR ~3.0)