Competency 

CM 2.2 - Describe the socio-cultural factors, family (types), its role in health and disease & demonstrate in a simulated environment the correct assessment of socio-economic status - SKILL DOMAIN

In this domains it is expected that the student should be able to  

1. elicit demographic information, and assess the socio-economic status and the socio-cultural practices of the individual and family.

2. state what type of family it is; the role of family in health and disease.

3. calculate the demographic indicators of the community based on the family data collected by the class.

Definition

Socio-economic status is defined as the position that an individual or family occupies with reference to the prevailing average standards of cultural and material possessions, income and participation in group activity of the community.

Reference: Park’s Text book of Preventive and Social Medicine, 24th Edition.

Socio-economic classification

1. Kuppuswamy classification

2. B.G.Prasad Classification

Modified Kuppuswamy classification

• Determined on the basis of Education and Occupation of Head of Family and the Monthly Family Income.

• Education is classified as Illiterate, Primary school, Middle school, High school, Intermediate or Diploma, Graduate or Postgraduate, Professional/honours degree.

Professional degree means any Post graduation., Any high grade professional education (which may directly be after class XII) - examples M.A., M.Sc., Ph.D., M.Ed.

M.B.B.S., B.E., B.Arch.

Graduate or postgraduate  means Any graduation degree (other than high grade professional education) - examples B.A., B.Sc., B.Ed. 

Intermediate or post high school diploma means Class XII pass - examples Class XII pass, Class XII with vocational diploma

High school certificate means Class X pass - examples Class X pass, Class XI pass (didn’t complete Class XII)

Middle school certificate means Class VIII pass - examples Class VIII pass, Class IX Pass

Primary school certificate means Literate i.e. can read and write with understanding in any of the languages - examples any level of literacy below Class VIII (that is, did not get Class VIII pass certificate)

Illiterate means cannot read and write with understanding in any of the languages - example Person who can only read but not write with understanding in a language.

Professional (white collar) - making, formulating policies and execution of policies Jobs that need creativity - examples Doctors, Advocates, Engineers, Architects,

Jobs involving high organizational ability, and control of a large number of humans - examples Directors, Managers, senior administrators,

Professors, College Principals, Newspaper editors,

Jobs that involve dealing with large amounts of money - examples Bank managers. Finance Managers

Semi-professional - Jobs requiring post-high school education. 

But the nature of jobs is routine - examples High school teachers, College lecturers, Junior administrators, Junior medical practitioners. 

Clerical, shop-owner/farm - Jobs that are repetitive in nature and require some arithmetic skill - examples Clerk, accountant, typist, elementary school teacher, farm owner, shopkeeper, salesman, insurance agent, news journalist.

Skilled worker - Long training in complicated work - examples Driver, telephone operator, mason, carpenter, mechanic

Semi-skilled worker - Jobs that require some training - examples Factory labourer, laboratory attendant, library attendant, car cleaner, petty shopkeeper

Unskilled worker - No education or training required - examples Domestic servant, watchman, rickshaw puller

Unemployed