Effects of Women’s Autonomy and Male Involvement on Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Service Utilization in Uttar Pradesh

Damodar Sahu,Nihar Ranjan Mishra,Sharmila Neogi,Sanjay Kumar,Tapati Dutta,Marta Levitt-Dayal,Subrato Mondal,Anju Dadhwal-Singh

doi:10.4236/ojpm.2016.611024

Abstract

Introduction: Effective utilization of reproductive and child health (RCH) services is important to reduce morbidity and mortality among mothers as well as children under-five. After International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), 1994 India has increasingly integrated male participation in women’s reproductive health to improve the women’s health care during pregnancy and child birth. This study examined effect of women’s autonomy and male involvement on RCH services utilization in Uttar Pradesh State of India. Methodology: State level data of Uttar Pradesh from National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), India for currently married women and men aged 15 - 49 years was considered. The study was restricted to couples whose youngest child was born during the three years preceding the survey (N = 2685). Pearson chi-square test was used to determine the association of background characteristics with woman’s autonomy and male involvement in RCH utilization. Logistic regression was used to understand the effects of male involvement and women’s autonomy, using both computed indices after controlling for socio-economic and background characteristics of women and their husbands. Subsequently, the exercise was extended using individual component of both the indices. All findings were reported for 95% CI and p < 0.05. Results: Findings show that except religion, other socio-economic and demographic variables such as age of women, place of residence, number of living children, caste/tribe, women’s work status, education, wealth index, household structure and exposure to mass media, husband’s age, education, and occupation were statistically significant and associated with women’s autonomy and male involvement. Multivariate analysis indicated women’s autonomous decision making and support from their husbands (male involvement) significantly influenced their utilization of RCH services after controlling for all socio-economic and demographic variables. Conclusion: To improve RCH service utilization and overall health status of women and children male involvement and women’s autonomous decision-making should be addressed in all future RCH programs in the State.

Highlights

Effective utilization of reproductive and child health (RCH) services is important to reduce morbidity and mortality among mothers as well as children under-five
This study examined effect of women’s autonomy and male involvement on RCH services utilization in Uttar Pradesh State of India
In the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)+10 progress report, UNFPA states that “a major remaining challenge is the promotion of greater male responsibility in family and reproductive decision-making” and suggests that full implementation of ICPD Plan of Action (PoA) is essential for empowerment and equality of women, and that women’s reproductive health is the key to their empowerment (UNFPA, 2004) [3]

Summary

Introduction

Effective utilization of reproductive and child health (RCH) services is important to reduce morbidity and mortality among mothers as well as children under-five. After International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), 1994 India has increasingly integrated male participation in women’s reproductive health to improve the women’s health care during pregnancy and child birth. This study examined effect of women’s autonomy and male involvement on RCH services utilization in Uttar Pradesh State of India. Multivariate analysis indicated women’s autonomous decision making and support from their husbands (male involvement) significantly influenced their utilization of RCH services after controlling for all socio-economic and demographic variables. Conclusion: To improve RCH service utilization and overall health status of women and children male involvement and women’s autonomous decision-making should be addressed in all future RCH programs in the State. Woman’s autonomy is generally defined as the ability to make and execute decisions regarding personal matters of importance on the basis of the woman’s power over others, access to information, control over material resources, and freedom from violence by her husband or other men (Caldwell and Caldwell, 1993; Dyson and Moore, 1983; Jejeebhoy and Sathar, 2001) [11] [12] [13]

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Discussion

Conclusion