Impact of ICDS Program on Immunization Status, Nutritional Status, Illness Status and Treatment Received Among Under Five Children in Selected Rural Areas in Mysore

Abstract

Background: In order to promote the health status and general development of children and other beneficiaries, the ICDS program is set to be implemented universally in India, offering services to children, pregnant and lactating women, and teenage girls in close coordination with the health services. Even though the ICDS incorporates health and educational services to promote child wellness, it is crucial to assess how it affects the population it serves in order to highlight its strengths and strengthen its weaknesses. Objectives: to evaluate how the ICDS program affects children under five in terms of immunization, nutrition, disease, and treatment. Method: One hundred children under five and their parents participated in an exploratory, cross-sectional descriptive study. The National Immunization Schedule, a scale to evaluate nutritional status in accordance with IAP standards, and a structured interview schedule to evaluate disease state and treatment received were the instruments utilized to gather data. Results: According to the study, all 100 children under five received 100% immunization at baseline, however just one child missed the OPV IV and DPT I booster dosage in the current data. In both baseline and current data, 11 (11%) children under five exhibited I-degree malnutrition. In the baseline and current data, 4 (4%) and 5 (5%) children, respectively, showed II-degree malnutrition. According to baseline statistics, 63 (63%) children used health services poorly, and 37 (37%) used them moderately. In contrast, the majority of children in the current data had low service utilization, and only one child (1%) had moderate health service utilization. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the ICDS program has an impact on nutritional status and immunization status, but that the program's health services are not well utilized. Therefore, the study has demonstrated that parents should be encouraged to use the health services
offered by the ICDS program.