Factors Affecting Utilization of Maternal Health Care Services in Urban area of Bhubnaneswar, India

Abstract

Objective: To assess perception of beneficiaries in terms of satisfaction with the utilised maternal health care services, to find out different socio- demographic factors affecting the utilisation of services and determine proportion of mothers who have access to health care settings. Methodology: A community based cross-sectional study design that employed quantitative data collection method was carried out to assess factors affecting utilization of maternal health care services in June 2016 in Khurdah district, Eastern Bhubaneswar Zone. Results: A total of 495 women were included in this study to investigate the factors that influence utilization of maternal health care services. The majority of respondents were illiterate (71.9%) and primary level educated constituted 26.3%. 86.1% had at least one ANC visit. 61.7% of mothers had less than four visits and 46.2% of mothers started attending ANC in the second trimester. About 38.3% of mothers made four and more ANC visits which is higher than the national level in 2011 in which only 19% of mothers made four and more ANC visits. Conclusion: The study findings reveal that the study community had high level of utilization of selected components of maternal health care and high level of satisfaction with the utilized services and most of them are utilized from government run health system. Keeping in mind the possible good delivery and good utilization of maternal health care in the study community, few areas still need to be addressed. Key words: Factors, Antenatal care, Maternal health care, Urban, India.