Prevalence of diseases in the high populated area: a study based in Kattankudy Divisional Secretariat Division of Batticaloa District

Abstract

The health and well-being of human beings are very important to lead a peaceful and the happiest life. The illhealth of disease brings only the sorrow and burden to the patients and the family members. This study was conducted to identify the diseases and the reasons for increasing diseases in the study area. Primary and secondary data collection methods were used for this study. Interview and focused group discussion methods were used as the primary data collection methods. Reports, records, research articles and reliable web sources were utilised as the secondary data collection methods. Kattankudy is a small area which possesses high population density. People from this area are living in a congested environment with close residents. This high population density issue has become a challenge of initiating and improving the medical and health facilities in the study area. The increases in the number diseases and patients and spreading of the communicable diseases have created a fear among the people. Though, Kattankudy is considered as a place of adequate infrastructure facilities and wealthier people with good health condition in the eastern province of Sri Lanka, the available statistics pointed out that the disease and the number of patients identified in Kattankudy had increased till 2014 and has been declining since 2015. However, it has high chances of increasing the number of patients in near future. This study has discussed about the communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases such as dengue, diarrhoea, hepatitis and typhoid fever and the reasons behind it. Congested environment, poor food habit, heat and air pollution, the change in the water usage and poor drainage conditions were found to be the reasons for the expansion of diseases.