Across the world, more than 8 million children are born with disabilities and lifelong medical conditions caused by common congenital disorders. These include birth defects like congenital heart defects and spina bifida, genetic disorders like thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia, and developmental disabilities like cerebral palsy, autism or congenital hearing impairment.
Nearly 95% of affected children are in low and low middle-income countries, where healthcare is not universal and assured to all. Families suffer financial hardship, children remain without care or with sub-optimal care.
There is limited data on the quality of life of children and caregivers, and the costs to health and social welfare services.
We are pleased to share our book "Birth Defects in India: Epidemiology and Public Health Implications".
We use India as a case study to understand the magnitude of birth defects and developmental disabilities, and the status, opportunities and gaps for developing a birth defects service.
We use a non-disease specific, public health approach, focussing on the essential public health functions that are integral to a birth defects service. We discuss surveillance, prevention, and the need for medical care, physical rehabilitation and social welfare services.
There are 16 articles, organized into five parts. Details can be found here https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811615535
The Authors
This book is intended for an interdisciplinary audience, of students and researchers from the fields of global/public health, maternal and child health, disability research, nursing, rehabilitation, anthropology and medical sociology. The intention is to provide an insight into the unmet needs of children and their caregivers.
Dr. Anita Kar
Prajakta Bhide
Juhi Nakade
Humaira Ansari
Amruta Chutke
Pooja Gund
Sumedha Dharmarajan
Supriya Nikam
Charuta Gokhale
Supriya Phadnis