Table 2 A research agenda for descriptive studies on least studied population groups

Population groups to be studied

 i. Muslims and other religious minorities

 ii. Nomadic tribes

 iii. Urban homeless

 iv. Migrants

 v. ‘Left behind’ households of migrants

 vi. Adolescents

 vii. Elderly

 viii. Single (never married/widowed/separated)

 ix. Persons living with physical/psychosocial disabilities

 x. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex communities

 xi. Sex workers

 xii. People living with HIV/AIDS

 xiii. Communities living in the north-eastern states of India

Health outcomes

i. Overall health needs of specific populations

ii. Specific health conditions about which there is limited information (e.g. cervical cancer); specific health conditions in specific population groups (e.g. tuberculosis in elderly or internal migrants)

iii. Ignored health needs of specific populations, e.g. beyond sexual and reproductive health for adolescents, beyond HIV for people living with HIV/AIDS

iv. Nutritional status

i. Quality of life, perceived psychological and physical wellbeing

Health behaviours

 i. Health literacy/awareness of healthy behaviours and symptoms of health problems

 ii. Care-seeking behaviour (from whom, after how many days, for which conditions)

 iii. Access and utilisation, unmet need for healthcare/treatment compliance/treatment completion and barriers to these

 iv. Experience with healthcare providers/in healthcare facilities