Uttarakhand’s Demographic and Health Profile: A Scoping Review with Implications for Research

Abstract

With one of the lowest population densities among states in India and 70 percent of its area covered by forests, Uttarakhand is one of the most remote states in the country. This study analyzes district-level changes that have occurred in Uttarakhand’s demographic and health profile since the formation of the state in 2000. It addition, via a scoping review, it assesses the state of the literature on the implementation and impact of two major health programs initiated by the government to improve health outcomes in the state, the National Rural Health Mission and Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojana. It concludes that there is scant, state-wide information available on the implementation of these programs and suggests linking research efforts with program monitoring arrangements in order to bridge gaps in knowledge. This review article will be useful to researchers and policy makers interested in understanding the demographic and health changes that have occurred in Uttarakhand since its formation and gaps that remain in the literature on health services in the state.