Modified BG Prasad socioeconomic scale classification update based on New CPI (IW) series from September 2020

Abstract

Socio-economic Status determines the health status of an individual and their compliance to treatment by affecting their affordability and financial stability. Inflation and rise in the cost of the living cannot be prevented. Socio Economic status is an important variable in medical research. Its classification warrants the researchers to constantly update the income-based categories so that the assessment can be done correctly in practice. The Labour Bureau, government of India has revised the base year of the existing Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Industrial workers (IW) series 2001 = 100 to a more recent, 2016 = 100. In this letter, an attempt has been made to update the Modified BG Prasad scale based on new index for September 2020.