Social Inclusion/Exclusion: Caste, Poverty and Outcomes of selected Health indictors and MDGs , India

Poverty and social exclusion are important socio-economic variables which are often taken for granted while considering ill-health effects. Higher levels of poverty among socially excluded groups translate, as might be expected, into poorer levels of human development in terms of health. Marginalization of certain groups occurs in most societies including developed countries and is more pronounces in underdeveloped countries. In Indian context, caste and wealth index may be considered broadly as a proxy for social-economic status and poverty. The health status and utilization patterns give an indication of their social exclusion and an idea of the linkages between poverty and health. The linkages between caste, wealth index and some health indicators show that poverty is a complex issue which needs to be addressed with a multiple-dimensional paradigm. Even while considering poverty as the core issue, there is need to consider parameters beyond the exiting framework, keeping the complexities of plural systems and the diversity of social context to minimize the suffering from poverty and ill-health necessitates. There are a number of levels which need to be addressed if the linkages between poverty, health and MDGs are to be grappled.