Original Research Article
Year: 2014 | Month: July | Volume: 1 | Issue: 1 | Pages: 29-41
A Cross Sectional Study on the Pattern of Male Participation in Utilization of Reproductive Healthcare in Kamalapur Primary Health Centre Area of Gulbarga District, Karnataka
Riyaj Ahmad. H. Kalaburgi
Data Analyst, Bijapur, Karnataka, India.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: One of the important barriers to seeking an appropriate treatment by women for their illness is the lack of support by their husbands and family members.
Research Question: What are the health seeking behaviours of women about their reproductive health and the extent of participation of their spouses ?
Aims and Objectives: 1. To know the health seeking behavior of women about reproductive health. 2. To study the male participation and factors influencing the utilization of RCH services by their wives.
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was done in 2013 among 300 currently married women of age 15 to 49 years, residing at Kamalapur PHC area, Gulbarga district using pre-designed and pre-test questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done by using percentages and chi square test.
Results: 40% of women did not seek any treatment for their gynaecological problems, 30% visited PHC, 16.7% visited private clinics10% of them had taken home care and 3.3% of them got medicines from medical stores. 20% of the husbands accompanied women for ANC visits and in 80% of cases mother or mother in law accompanied her. Only in 6% of the couples decision about family planning was taken by both partners. Decision maker of woman’s health expenditure was her husband in 76.7% of the cases, 8.3% of cases her mother and in 10% of the cases her mother in law and in 5% of the cases women alone took decision.
Conclusion: Participation in reproductive health of woman is very less in rural India. Poverty, illitercy and gender roles are the main influeincing factors for the utilization of reproductive health services by the women.
Key words: Reproductive Health, Male participation, Health expenditure, Health seeking behaviour.