A New Socio-economic Status Scale: urgent Need of Hour
Abstract
Almost all community- based studies focus on socio-economic stratification, which is the key parameter for proper understanding the affordability of the community of health services. But nowadays in the era of changing social prestige parameters with debt from financing agencies should be considered in scaling socio-economic condition. So there is an urgent need to have socio-economic scaling reinvent considering new areas of socio-economic status. Present study was aimed to compare the different socio-economic status scales prevalent with Gaur’s socio-economic scale. Variables of 240 Antenatal cases were recorded along with the variables as per B.G. Prasad’s, Kupuswami’s and Gaur’s SES classification. Proportion of cases falling in various category of SES status as per all these SES Scaling was assessed and compared. It was found that as per B.G. Prasad SES classification there was 79.58% in class I, which is unbelievable. Whereas as per Gaur’s SES scaling there were 0.83% in Class I which is quite reasonable. Likewise, as per Kuppuswami SES Scale there were 46.67% in Class I, which is also not appropriate for ANCs attending at Government setting. Proportion of ANCs in various Classes as per B.G. Prasad SES and Kuppuswami SES Scale with Gaur’s SES scale was with significant (P<0.001) difference. Socio-economic scaling need to consider other variable like Housing Condition, Living Status, Percentage of Income Expenditure and Debt to asset Ratio (as in Gaur’s SES Scaling) along with Income, Education and Occupation.
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Introduction
Socioeconomic status (SES) is a measure of an individual's or family’s economic and social position in relation to others, based on various variables responsible for that like income, education, occupation, family effluence, physical assets, social position, social participation, caste, muscle power, political influence, etc.1 Majority of researchers agree that income, education and occupation together best represent SES, while some others feel that changes in family structure, family effluence etc should also be considered. 2
Wealth is also considered a determinant of SES, which is a set of economic reserves or assets, presents a source of security providing a measure of a household's ability to meet emergencies, absorb economic shocks, or provide the means to live comfortably. Wealth reflects intergenerational transitions as well as accumulation of income and savings. 3,4
Conclusion
Most prevalent SES scales i.e. B.G. Prasad SES and Kuppuswami SES scales have question mark on its relevance in present scenario of changing economy. Their relevance is questionable not only for urban population but for rural population also because the gap between urban and rural is being narrower with the time as far as the economy is concerned.
So there is a urgent need to find some other alternative better SES scale relevant to present scenario rather than using 3-4 decades older SES scales. Gaur’s SES status is one which quite in resonance with present situation and is having good applicability and reliability.16