A retrospective study was carried out during 1983-84 in the field practice area of Kasturba Medical College, Manipal to determine the infant mortality rate and the factors influencing it. The population covered was 29,519 and infant mortality rate was found to be 24.54. As the sample size was small, a separate study was carried out through Anganwadi workers which covered a larger population of 1,30,906 in the same taluka and the infant mortality rate was found to be 37.8. Searching for the causes of this low infant mortality rate the probable factors were found to be high female literacy health care facilities and its utilization by the people. The age and causes of infant support of the survey findings. Two thirds of the deaths occurred in the neonatal period. The majority of infant deaths were primarily due to infections resulting from environmental influence. The results of the hospital based data indirectly support the finding of low infant mortality rate.

Various social factors in relation to leprosy were studied in a rural population of Pondicherry Union Territory. The prevalence of leprosy among Harijans was found to be 56.8 / 1000 and among Gounders it was 40.08 / 1000. Highest prevalence of 46.05 / 1000 was found in those whose income was between Rs.100/- and 200/- per month. The prevalence of leprosy was inversely correlated with the education. A positive history of contact was forthcoming in 30.1% of the cases. Only 23.6% of the cases were registered for treatment was 6.30%. There was a change in the social life in 2.09% of the cases and the income had decreased in 3.14% of the cases consequent to the disease.

In the present study, a door follow up study of mothers and infants was done one year after the mothers had been registered in the Ante-Natal Clinic of the Rural Health Training Center. Home delivery by locally available dai was present in a almost all cases. The choice of dai depended on the family tradition rather than training of the dai. Where mothers had not attended Ante-Natal Clinic, the reason given by a majority (55.8%) was ignorance of services available. The health status and immunization status was significantly better in infants where mothers had regularly attended Ante-Natal clinics.

Eight hundred and sixty five ever married women of age 15 years and above belonging to two villages near Delhi were interviewed. Complete fertility history was taken. This communication is restricted to 229 women who had completed 45 years of age at the time of the study. The year of marriage has been categorized in to decades i.e. 1932 before, 1933 to 42,1943 to 52 and 1953 to 1962. Fertility profile in terms, of conceptions, live births and children living for at least five years in 4 decades of marriage cohort is provided. The data on sterilized and unsterilised couples have been separately reported. Literacy of women has been used as the background characteristic and analysis by literacy status is presented. The study demonstrates that literacy markedly brings about a decline in fertility among rural women. Even among illiterate women, general social development witnessed over the four decades has materially helped in reducing fertility. Finally, sterilization to be effective must be adopted by couples when young.