Treatment Seeking Behavior of Married Women of Reproductive age Belonging to a Rural Community- a Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: India is a country of villages where 72.2% of the people live in the rural area and women of reproductive age group ( 15-49 years ) constitutes 21% of the total population. Majority of the women suffer from morbidity due to obstetric and gynecological problems. Many factors play an important role such as socio economic status, cultural acceptability, decision making power, the availability of health care services, or the treatment seeking behavior of these women. VIII OBJECTIVES: To know the health seeking behavior of a married women of reproductive age and to know the types of health services utilized by them. METHODOLOGY: A one year community based cross sectional study. The study was conducted at Handignur PHC area in Belgaum district from January 2007- December 2007, with a sample size of 732. All married women of reproductive age group were included in the study, and data was collected by administering pre designed and pre tested structured proforma. RESULTS: The present study revealed that, 22.03% of the women were in the age group of 35-39 years. The literacy rate of the women was found to be 74.4%. The literacy rate of their husbands was found to be 82.4%. Joint family was the commonest being 81.28%. 71.3% of the women belonged to the category V of modified B G Prasad’s group of socio economic status classification. All married women of reproductive age had the knowledge of the facilities available near their homes. Door steps services were provided to all married women, 88.93% of the study participants said ANM’s provided them with services. And all study participants said that they were curative, diagnostic, health educational, natal services, family planning and immunization. 88.93% said that the health facilities were provided at their door steps, all of the 732 women for general health problems, 79.09% of the women preferred to go the PHC/ sub center. 99.59% IX said it was easy accessibility. 92.49% said that they were satisfied by the treatment. In case of 75.18% of the study participants their husband’s made decisions for them regarding their general health problems. For obstetrics care all 732 women preferred going to the PHC/ sub center. 39.34% said they made 1-2 visit for their ANC check up’s. And to be noted that 21.03% of the women did not make a single visit as there was no PHC’s/ sub center during the time of their pregnancy. 78.96% said they received iron and folic acid tablets during the time of their pregnancy. 54.78% women said the doctor provided it to them. 78.96% said they received injection tetanus toxoid injection during the time of their pregnancy. 78.96% of the women said that other checkup was also done. 66.12% said that they preferred the PHC/ sub center for the choice of place for getting delivered. 47.00% preferred the doctors conducting the deliveries. 75.80% women said their husbands took the decisions. 43.85% of the women complained of Dysmenorrhoea. The choice of health facility opted for the gynecological problems; 81.42% said that they preferred the PHC/ sub center. 81.42% women said because it was near to the house, all necessary and emergency drugs were available and all facilities were provided. 46.17% of the women said it was their own decision. 91.25% women said they were practicing either temporary or the permanent methods or their husbands were using temporary methods of family planning. 61.07% women were using copper T as the methods of family planning. 61.07% women said the doctors at the PHC/ sub center helped them in providing them the family planning methods. 48.35% women said it was their husband’s decisions. X CONCLUSION: The participants had a fair knowledge regarding treatment seeking, the availability of health care services and the types of services offered. For obstetric care they did not hesitate in deciding the choice of place to deliver as Handignur PHC/ sub center is providing all modern facilities, including a baby warmer and a neo natal resuscitation kit. The key decision maker for general health problems, obstetric health problems and for family planning was the husbands, where as for the gynecological problems the majority of women made her own decisions. As observed the women were more comfortable and satisfied after the public private partnership with KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore’s hospital. The women had this feeling that, if any complications arise, the ambulance service which was there 24hrs x7days would shift the patient to the higher center quickly.