Social Group and Wellbeing in Andhra Pradesh

This paper builds on the existing literature and investigates the significance of social group in explaining wellbeing aspects in terms of nutritional outcomes of adult men and women and quality of life of households reflected in household amenities Index. The variations in the observed nutritional outcomes (BMI and heights) of individuals have been explained at various levels of nutritional outcomes with quantile regressions. In addition, the study looks at the contextual effects of district characteristics on quality of life of households, with mixed effects maximum likelihood regression. District health Survey-4 for 2012–13 provides the data for analysis. Social group has no significant influence in explaining the variations in body mass index (BMI), for men and women after controlling for the individual characteristics such as education age and household characteristics such as household amenities Index, the land-owning status of the households and urban-rural land related status etc. In total contrast, the Social group is significant in explaining the long-term inter-generational nutritional outcome reflected in the heights of men and women. Caste significantly influences the quality of life represented by household amenities. District contextual effect of poverty, urbanization and regular salaried employment influence quality of life reflected in household amenities.