Background Fall, a multifaceted health condition, is one of the major causes of mortality among older adults. Rapid ageing and increased multimorbidity in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India, might elevate the risk of fall. Although, fall is associated with significant healthcare utilization, it still remains an under-recognized public health issue. This accentuates a need for evidence on fall to integrate it into existing healthcare programs, a gap in geriatric care. The present study aimed to assess the association of fall with multimorbidity among older adults in India. Methods We included 28,567 participants aged ≥ 60 years from Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), wave-1 conducted during 2017–19. Descriptive statistics were used to compute the prevalence of self-reported falls along with 95% confidence interval as a measure of uncertainty. The association between falls and multimorbidity was assessed by multivariable logistic regression and presented as an adjusted odds ratio (AOR). Results The prevalence of falls was 12.5%, being higher among women (13.6% vs. 11.4%) than men. The major determinants of fall were females, rural residents and smokeless tobacco use. We observed multimorbidity [AOR: 1.29 (1.14–1.46)] to be significantly associated with falls. Conclusion Falls are commonly prevalent among older adults having multimorbidity as its important predictor. Existing health programs should incorporate falls as an important part of geriatric care. Additionally, primary health care facilities should be strengthened to provide comprehensive care for injuries sustained due to falls.

Background The unmet need for family planning has been a public health concern in developing countries, especially in the south-east region. In India, the expanding roles of women has led to a growing need for family planning and contraception. However, tribal women still struggle with reproductive and sexual health issues. Unfortunately, most tribal women are not informed about the potential health risks associated with contraceptive use, as service providers often neglect to provide this information. As a result, tribal women often suffer in silence, which can lead to serious health problems. Thus, the present study aimed to understand the patterns and factors associated with modern contraceptive usage as well as the district level variation in usage among tribal married women. Methods We included 91,976 tribal married women participants aged 15 to 49 years from National Family Health Survey 5 conducted during the years 2019 to 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to compute the prevalence of modern contraceptive usage along with 95% confidence interval (CI) as a measure of uncertainty. The association between various socio-demographic predictors and modern contraceptive usage were assessed by multivariable logistic regression and presented as an adjusted odds ratio (AOR). Results The overall prevalence of modern contraceptive practices was found to be 53% among tribal married women, which was below the national average. Sterilization was the most preferred method of modern contraceptive, whereas injectables were the least preferred method. More than 80% of the married women get the family planning information from the public health facility and health workers. Districts of eastern and north-eastern states have comparatively less modern contraceptive prevalence than central and southern states. Age, education, parity and access to media were significantly associated with the use of modern methods of contraception. Conclusion Improving contraceptive use and reducing unmet needs for contraception among tribal women requires sustained efforts from healthcare workers, including Information Education and Communication (IEC) through mass media to raise awareness. A tailored family planning strategy is crucial to address the specific needs of tribal women at both the local and national levels, with adequate resources and monitoring for impact with this India can achieve Total Fertility Rate (TFR) 2.1 among tribals.

Background Childhood mortality and morbidity has become a major public health issue in low-middle-income countries. However, evidence suggested that Low birth weight(LBW) is one of the most important risk factors for childhood deaths and disability.This study is designed to estimate the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW) in India and to identify maternal correlates associated with LBW. Methods Data has been taken from National Family Health Survey 5 (2019–2021) for analysis. 149,279 women belonging to reproductive age group (15–49) year who had last recent most delivery preceding the NFHS-5 survey. Results Mother's age, female child, birth interval of less than 24 months, their low educational level, low wealth index, rural residence, lack of insurance coverage, women with low BMI, anaemia, and no ANC visits during pregnancy are predictors that contribute to LBW in India. After adjusting for covariates, smoking and alcohol consupmtion is strongly correlated with LBW. Conclusion Mother’s age, educational attainment and socioeconomic status of living has a highly significant with LBW in India. However, consumption of tobacco and cigarrettes are also associated with LBW.