Only 19.2% of women know about HIV AIDS

NFHS-5 HIGHLIGHTS FOR ASSAM

* Infant mortality in State declines

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Only 19.2% women in Assam have comprehensive knowledge about HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

The National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS) for the year 2019-2020 have highlighted that while 22.5% men have comprehensive knowledge about the fatal infection, 71.5% women know that consistent use of condoms can reduce the chance of getting HIV/AIDS. The percentage of having knowledge about the use of condoms to prevent AIDS is 85.2%.

One of the important aspects highlighted by the latest NFHS report is that of infant and child mortality rates in the State. The neonatal mortality rate has reduced to 22.5% (2019-2020) from 32.8% in 2015-16. The infant mortality rate has also declined to 31.9% (2019-2020) from 47.6% in 2015-16.

Institutional birth has increased to 84.1% from 70.6% in 2015-16. Institutional births in government hospitals and public health centres have also gone up to 74.4% from 60% in 2015/16.

In the case of use of tobacco and consumption of alcohol, the NFHS has revealed that 7.3% females in the age group of 15 and above consume alcohol. It is 25% in the case of males for the same group. On the other hand, more than 22% females in this group use tobacco.

The percentage of high-blood pressure (requiring medicines to control the disease) among men and women is 20.3% and 19.1% respectively. The high blood-sugar level among men and women is 16% and 12.8% respectively.

On the other hand, the NFHS has found that while 42.3% women have never used the Internet in their life, the percentage among men is 28.2%. The percentage literacy among men and women is 84.3% and 77.2% respectively.

The NFHS-5 2019-20 also provides information on population, health, and nutrition for India and each State/ Union Territory (UT). The contents of NFHS-5 are similar to NFHS-4 to allow comparisons over time. However, NFHS-5 includes some new topics, such as pre-school education, disability, access to a toilet facility, death registration, bathing practices during menstruation, and methods and reasons for abortion.

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