Social Determinants of Health of Ashram School Girls in Maharashtra, India

The concept of ashram school has an ancient origin where the disciples take refuge with the teacher (Gurukul) to learn his/her life lessons. Modern-time ashram schools evolved with this very idea where the tribal children are offered a conducive environment at the residential schools for education and overall development. The basic needs like food, clothing, shelter and education are meant to be taken care of in the ashram schools. The study focussed on factors such as living conditions, food and working conditions (carrying educational activities in school) influencing the health of adolescent girls. It used a mixed method and multistage sampling to select 800 girls from 17 ashram schools of selected four tribal districts (administrative unit) in Maharashtra, India. Adolescent girls of ashram schools reported the poor living and working environment, inadequate services of food and nutrition, clothing and shelter determining their health outcomes. The adolescent girls were found with low Hb count, delayed menses and health morbidities.