Health camp participation among social groups in India

Although India is committed to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), substantial disparities exist within healthcare access among its social groups. This study looks into the patterns and determinants of health camp participation among Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and other social groups using data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–21). The analysis uses a sample of 347,779 women; results reveal that there are much lower attendance rates in health camps among SC/ST women than their non-SC/ST counterparts. Lower education, poor wealth status, and a rural residence, as well as regional marginality, happen to be socio-demographic disadvantages contributing to this exclusion. As logistic regression results tend to show, it seems that women who are from the SC/ST category, especially those with no education and residing in poorer quintiles or in more remote regions, are often less likely to attend health camps. These findings reflect entrenched structural inequalities and highlight the need for more inclusive public health strategies. The study underscores the importance of targeted health literacy programs and culturally sensitive outreach to bridge existing healthcare gaps and improve equitable service delivery.