Abstract

The family adoption program (FAP), initiated by the National Medical Commission (NMC), emphasizes community-based learning by adopting families in underserved areas. This program, integrated into the MBBS curriculum, aims to enhance medical students’ skills while addressing health disparities. Our objective is to analyze the socio-demographic characteristics and health profiles of individuals from families adopted under the FAP by the 2022 MBBS batch. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jalpally village, comprising 3859 individuals (750 families). Each student adopted five families and collected socio-demographic and health data through house-to-house surveys over a year. Three health camps were conducted, with health profiles of 609 participants analyzed. Data were compiled using the NMC survey form and analyzed with MS Excel 2021. Results were presented in tables and graphs. The majority of the population were nuclear families (72%), with 44.5% aged 15–45 years. Most families belonged to the middle class (36.4%) as per BG Prasad’s classification. Among 609 health camp participants, 32.4% had raised blood pressure, and 22.6% had impaired random blood sugar levels. Anemia prevalence was highest among pregnant women (75%) and non-pregnant women (48.9%). Nutritional analysis revealed underweight status in 30.6% and overweight/obesity in 43.2%, with females predominantly affected (55.9%). The study highlights significant health issues, including non-communicable diseases, anemia, and malnutrition, within the adopted population. FAP bridges healthcare gaps in underserved communities while offering medical students practical exposure to long-term patient care. The findings underscore the importance of such initiatives in addressing rural health inequities and fostering public health engagement.

Key words: Anemia, Community-based learning, Family adoption program, Malnutrition, Non- communicable diseases