Abstract
The present study attempts to examine the influence of social class (in terms of educational qualification, the occupation of the husband and monthly family income of the respondents) on obstetric health behavior (in terms of antenatal care or ANC visits, the intake of iron tablets, tetanus toxoid vaccination of mother, types of birth attendant, sources of information about obstetric health) in some suburban places of northern Bangladesh. Mix methods have been executed to conduct the present study. A total of one hundred and twenty-five (125) women who gave birth within the last two years have been selected through purposive sampling. Besides ten (10) case studies and five (5) key informants analysis have been performed in this study. As all the variables; both dependent and independent; used in this study are categorical, the Chi-square test has been used to assess the relationship between social class and obstetric health behavior. In this study, a significant association has been found between taking of iron tablets and occupation of the husband (P = 0.026); taking of iron tablets and educational qualification (P = 0.029); vaccination of mother (TT) and educational qualification (P = 0.004), whereas the association of other variables regarding social class and obstetric health behavior has been found insignificant. So the present study shows that the influence of social class on obstetric health behavior has been significantly reduced. It is evidenced that nowadays the effect of social class on obstetric health behavior has significantly faded by the availability, equality-based health services, and services through satellite clinics in the study area. Stakeholders and concerned authorities should give top priority to the findings while developing strategies to improve the condition of maternal health of Bangladesh to acquire the aims of reducing maternal mortality to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Highlights
Health is a holistic concept [1]
It is evidenced that nowadays the effect of social class on obstetric health behavior has significantly faded by the availability, equality-based health services, and services through satellite clinics in the study area
The research shows that the rate of performing mentioned obstetric health behavior among the respondents in the study areas is better than the whole country because of availability of health services, equality-based health services and services through satellite clinic
Summary
Health is a holistic concept [1]. According to the World Health Organization, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely an absence of disease or infirmity” [2]. Because it is related to maternal mortality ratio (MMR) which is widely considered as a crucial indicator of the overall health status of a country. Over the last two decades of the past century, women’s health issues have attained higher international visibility and renewed political commitments [3]. The international community has repeatedly declared its commitment to reduce the high levels of maternal mortality in developing countries, starting with the 1987 Safe Motherhood Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, followed by the 1990 World Summit for Children at United Nations Headquarters, the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt, the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, “Nairobi 10 Years On” in Sri Lanka in 1997, the Millennium Development Goals in 2000 [4]
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