Hyderabad: As per the National Family Health Survey of India (NFSH) of 2019-2020, 30.5 percent of men in Telangana lack comprehensive knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) like HIV/AIDS. This proves to be a cause of concern especially since the previous NFSH survey in 2015-16, showed that 20 percent of men in Telangana were more aware (50.1%) than they are currently.
Surprisingly, 30.7 percent of Telangana women have become aware of the link between contraception and STDs in 2019-2020. As per the data, in 2015-16, only 29.5 percent of women were aware which has marginally increased to 30.7 percent in 2019-2020.
The data that covers 16 indicators of overall family health, shows that although the fertility rate in the state remains stable, the percentage of men with knowledge of the benefits of using contraceptive methods to prevent (HIV/AIDS), has decreased by almost 20 percent in the last five years.
The percentage of men (75.3) between the ages of 15-49, who are aware that consistent condom use can reduce the chance of getting HIV/AIDS, has decreased by 6.2 percent in the last five years. However, 9.2 percent of women have become aware of the same during the period, at a percentage of 68.9.
According to the data by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO)’s HIV Estimation of 2019, the state of Telangana recorded 1.58 lakh cases, the 6th highest in the country preceded by Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, and Meghalaya.
HIV prevalence trend has been declining in India since the epidemic’s peak in the year 2000 and has been stabilizing in recent years.
Indicator of concern
According to the NHFS data, an overall decline in the fertility rate in the country at 2.0 percent exists. Telangana however, is at a stable average of 1.8 percent. The fertility rate in the rural areas of the state has declined by 0.1 at 1.7 percent.
The country has seen a decline in the total fertility rate (TFR), the number of children birth by a woman, according to the same data. The TFR has come down to 2.0 percent from 2.2 in NFHS-4 (2015-16).
The data that has been collected from states and Union Territories, provides information on population, health, and nutrition in the states and also provides district-level estimates for many important indicators.