Evaluating Health Service Accessibility and Adequacy through UPHCs in Slum Areas of Kurnool under NUHM: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

This study empirically examines the effectiveness of the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) in improving healthcare accessibility and adequacy through Urban Primary Health Centers (UPHCs) in slum areas of Kurnool District. Using comprehensive primary data from 400 beneficiaries, healthcare providers, ASHA workers, ANMs, and administrative staff analyzed in SPSS, the study tests three key hypotheses linking UPHC awareness, socio-economic factors, and service adequacy to healthcare outcomes. Results reveal robust positive associations: UPHC awareness strongly predicts service utilization (χ²=24.623, p<0.001), socio-economic factors influence access equity (χ²=21.752, p=0.001), and service adequacy correlates with beneficiary satisfaction (χ²=35.933, p<0.001). Healthcare provider analysis confirms that infrastructure quality and staffing adequacy are interconnected (χ²=100.000, p<0.001), while effective coordination reduces operational challenges (χ²=73.510, p<0.001). Association measures reveal strong relationships: Gamma=0.612 for awareness-utilization, Lambda=0.425 for income-awareness, and Cramér's V=0.378 for service adequacy-satisfaction. The findings highlight NUHM's positive impact on urban slum healthcare delivery, offering actionable insights for policymakers enhancing urban health programs and healthcare administrators optimizing service delivery. This study contributes to emerging-market healthcare literature by quantifying NUHM's effectiveness with robust empirical evidence from India's urban health landscape.