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In boys than in girls (Daga.1992; Srivastava and Nayak,1995). On the other hand, there
are studies that have not shown any significant gender difference In immunization
coverage (Ghildiyal et a1..1992. Samantaray and Jena.1995). In the current study, the
data collected during census showed a significantly lower proportion of girls (84.7%)
than boys (90.1%) completely immunized with DPT and OPV(p < 0.05). However, cross
secbonal morbidity survey did not reveal any significant difference between the genders
with respect to BCG vacdnat~on (p > 0.05). These data suggest a marginal preference
of boys over girls as far as immunization coverage was concerned.
AS In the case of preventive aspects, the curative aspects also show a heterogene~ty of
gender bias in India. In India the male: female hospitalization ratio varied from 2.1 to
1 3 1, the latter being mainly from the South (Ghosh,1986). A study from Bombay
showed that the ratio of male: female hospltal attendance was 1.4:l (Ghildiyal et
ai.1992). In a hospital from Ludhiana, it was observed that 65.2% of the attendance
was boys and 34.8% was girls in the pediatric outpatient department (UNICEF,1994b).
In the same place, it was also found that boys received earlier medical attention than
g~rls dunng their terminal illness (Kielman,l991). In a study from Salem, it was reported
lhat boys were taken to doctors, whereas girls were given home medication
(Samantaray and Jena,1995). These data suggest greater utllizatlon of health service3
for slck sons than sick daughters in some parts of the country resulting in a higher
mortality and morbidity in girls
(Ghosh,1992; Ghildiyal et a1.,1992; Oko~1e,1994).
However, Basu (1989) observed that in Tamil Nadu, the chances of survival In early
ch~ldhood, were almost equal for girls and boys. This implied that the health care for
gldS was not different from that of boys, in Tamil Nadu. In the current study, no
S19nlflcant gender difference was observed in JIPMER hospital atlendance, be~ng