ISSN: 2265-6294

ASSOCIATION OF MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES UTILIZATION AND WOMEN LITERACY IN THE DISTRICTS OF WEST BENGAL

Main Article Content

Carol Christine Lepcha,Raja Ghosh

Abstract

Examining the development of a region, maternal health is considered as one of the vital social indicators. This concept was promoted and emphasized by World Health Organization and has been pipelined through SDG 3 of the United Nation. The present study used secondary data from NFHS-5. The current study aims to observe the district wise variation of maternal health indicators in the districts of West Bengal. It also examines to associate the women literacy levels to the performance of various maternal health service utilization. Finally, the study attempts to carve out formal region classification based on the strength of relationship between these variables. The study found more than the average performance of the maternal health performance in the districts. Education levels was found to significantly influence variables like Antenatal Care, Folic acid intake, Births attended by skilled personnel and Mothers who received postnatal care. The districts like Purulia, Uttar Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Bankura and Birbhum were the most disadvantaged both in case of utilization of maternal health services as well as in literacy levels. Proper monitoring of the women education along with improvement of basic health facility especially at rural levels are the suggestive alternatives.

Article Details