Earlier this year, two important papers on life expectancy were published, their findings confirmed what public health experts already knew: Adivasis, Dalits, Muslim had a lower life expectancy compared to upper caste Hindus. My story for Article 14

Life expectancy is one of the most imp health indicators, it has 1/3 weight in UN development index. These kinds of disaggregated data by caste and religion are important to understand what experts called the “lived experiences” of various social groups in India.

This is imp because the combined population of Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims is 450 million > population of USA. Yet caste and religion aggregated life expectancy data is unavailable in India.

Researchers @aashishg_ and Nikkil Sudharsanan analysed NFHS data and found The difference between SCs and STs and upper-caste Hindus was 4.2 to 4.4 years for women and 6.1 to 7 years for men.

The study also found that while Muslims had a modest life expectancy disadvantage (2.1 years in women and 0.3 years in men) compared to high castes between 1997 to 2000, this disadvantage has grown substantially (2.8 years in women and 2.6 years in men ) over the last 20 years.

Another study in PNASNews by Sangita Vyas Payal Hathi and @aashishg_ found that compared to upper caste Hindus and other backward castes (OBCs), Adivasis die four years earlier, Dalits three years earlier and Muslims a year earlier

The differences between the life expectancy of higher-caste Hindus and the life expectancies of Adivasis and Dalits are comparable to the Black–White gap in the US in terms of “absolute magnitude”, they study noted.

The difference in life expectancies could not be explained by wealth alone (50% weightage), nor by urban-rural differences or environmental factors. The disparities existed in all wealth groups.

The studies highlight the “need to confront social inequality directly, rather than hoping that economic growth will tackle health inequalities,” said Aashish Gupta @aashishg_ from Harvard University and research fellow at r.i.c.e.

lightscameraazadi.in/podcast/55-ind… @aashishg_ & Payal Hathi recently published sme amazing research on India's life expectancy & the results wre quite shocking.Even our life and death are rooted in caste. @aditipriya_0301 hosts ths conversation wth me & al of us deep dive int these findings

There is a difference in life expectancies of Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims as compared to higher caste Hindus. To understand this demographic divide, Menaka spoke to @aashishg_ and Sangita Vyas about their latest research. Tune in: sunoindia.in/the-suno-india…

Tomorrow: Murad Banaji @aashishg_ Vipul Paikra on death registration in India; Suravee Nayak on informal labour in India's coalfields; Seema Chishti on cinema halls; and more. Help us grow. Sign up for the newsletter here: theindiaforum.in/weekly-update

"Underlying the controversy over the estimates of Covid-19 mortality in India is the uncertain quality of mortality statistics and the death registration data. The pandemic is an opportunity to redress the gaps..." Murad Banaji @aashishg_ theindiaforum.in/article/mortal…

The pandemic is an opportunity to redress the gaps in mortality statistics and the death registration data with continued scientific attention and vigorous public discussion. Murad Banaji, @aashishg_, and Vipul Paikra write buff.ly/3QMKPbk

The government aims to enhance healthcare services for pregnant women. Observations in public hospitals reveal that many women are subjected to verbal and physical violence. LOVEY PANT, Kanika Sharma, Nazar Khalid, Nikhil Srivastav write. r.i.c.e. theindiaforum.in/article/disres…

Disrespectful Maternity Care: Labour Room Violence in Government Health Facilities LOVEY PANT, Kanika Sharma, Nazar Khalid, and Nikhil Srivastav in The India Forum theindiaforum.in/article/disres…

A new study by Diane Coffey, Reetika Khera & Dean Spears—“Mothers’ Social Status & Children’s Heath”—assesses the health outcomes of children of lower-ranking mothers in joint households in rural India. UT PRC UT-Austin Economics Indian Inst of Technology ow.ly/XyeQ50KLALs

Using NFHS-5 data, Sangita Vyas and @aashishg_ estimate open defecation in rural Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh. They find that although states had been declared OD free, it was still common in a large share of latrine-owning households. ideasforindia.in/topics/human-d…

क्या ग्रामीण उत्तर भारत में अभी भी खुले में शौच प्रचलित है? —— संगीता व्यास Sangita Vyas(सिटी यूनिवर्सिटी ऑफ न्यू यॉर्क हंटर कॉलेज), आशीष गुप्ता @aashishg_ (यूनिवर्सिटी ऑफ ऑक्सफोर्ड) पूरा आलेख यहाँ पढ़ें: ideasforindia.in/topics/human-d…

🥳👏👏 Our research fellow, Payal Hathi won the best poster award at #PAA2023 for her work on the relationship between stillbirth and early neonatal mortality