Community Medicine
Relationship of Social and Behavioural Sciences to Health and Disease
Community medicine notes on social and behavioural determinants of health for MBBS: family types, Kuppuswamy and BG Prasad scales, barriers to care and social security, mapped to NMC codes CM2.1 to CM2.5.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Relationship of Social and Behavioural Sciences to Health and Disease
Community medicine notes on social and behavioural determinants of health for MBBS: family types, Kuppuswamy and BG Prasad scales, barriers to care and social security, mapped to NMC codes CM2.1 to CM2.5.
This chapter links the social and behavioural sciences to patterns of health and disease, showing how family structure, culture, poverty and social class shape both risk and access to care. It introduces socioeconomic scales, barriers to health, health-seeking behaviour and the social security measures designed to protect vulnerable groups.
High-yield: Relationship of Social and Behavioural Sciences to Health and Disease
- Social medicine studies how social and cultural factors influence the distribution and outcome of disease in a community.
- A socio-demographic assessment records age, sex, education, occupation, income and family structure to understand health risks.
- The family is classified as nuclear, joint, three-generation or extended, and family type affects childcare, nutrition and disease spread.
- The modified Kuppuswamy scale grades socioeconomic status using education, occupation and income, and its income bands are revised each year for inflation.
- The BG Prasad classification is based only on per-capita monthly income and is updated using the consumer price index.
- Culture-bound beliefs and health-seeking behaviour often determine whether and when a patient reaches formal care.
- Barriers to good health include poverty, illiteracy, gender inequality, distance from services and lack of health awareness.
- Poverty and ill health form a vicious cycle, each worsening the other, which social security measures aim to break.
- Social security in India includes the Employees State Insurance scheme, the Employees Provident Fund and various welfare pensions.
- Health-seeking behaviour describes the sequence of actions a person takes from recognising illness to obtaining care.
- Community participation is essential for sustainable health programmes and is a core principle of primary health care.
- Stigma, particularly for tuberculosis, leprosy, HIV and mental illness, is a major behavioural barrier to early treatment.
- The social determinants of health include income, education, working conditions, housing and access to services.
- Behaviour change communication uses tailored messages to shift knowledge, attitudes and practices toward healthier choices.
Socioeconomic status scales
- **Modified Kuppuswamy:** Combines education, occupation and family income into five classes, revised annually for inflation. Used for urban families.
- **BG Prasad:** Based on per-capita monthly income alone, updated with the consumer price index. Applicable to rural and urban settings.
- **Purpose:** Both scales stratify health risk and target welfare and health interventions to the most disadvantaged.
NMC competencies in this chapter
- **CM2.1:** Clinico-socio-cultural and demographic assessment of individual, family and community
- **CM2.2:** Socio-cultural factors and role of family types in health and disease
- **CM2.3:** Assessment of barriers to good health and health-seeking behaviour
- **CM2.4:** Social psychology, community behaviour and their impact on health
- **CM2.5:** Poverty, social security measures and their relationship to health
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Kuppuswamy and BG Prasad scales?
The modified Kuppuswamy scale uses education, occupation and total family income and suits urban families, while the BG Prasad scale relies only on per-capita monthly income and can be applied to rural and urban populations. Both are revised regularly for inflation.
How does family type influence health?
Family structure affects childcare, nutrition, financial support and the spread of infection. Joint families may buffer economic shocks and share caregiving, while nuclear families may face isolation and limited support during illness.
What are the main barriers to health-seeking behaviour?
Poverty, illiteracy, gender inequality, distance from health facilities, cost of care, cultural beliefs and stigma all delay or prevent people from seeking timely, appropriate medical care.
How does poverty relate to disease?
Poverty and ill health reinforce each other in a vicious cycle, since poverty leads to poor nutrition, crowding and limited access to care, and illness in turn reduces earning capacity, which is why social security measures are a public health priority.
Continue reading
MBBSAll Community Medicine chapters
Continue through the Community Medicine chapter map.
Continue studying Community Medicine
Explore clinician-written learning resources, structured revision and practice across the MedNext platform.
Open in the MedNext appSee plans