A Study of Utilisation of Healthcare Services by Women Belonging to the Reproductive Age Group in Jalpaiguri District of West Bengal

Abstract

The healthcare utilisation behaviour theory pertains to the various reactions individuals exhibit in response to states of poor health. If an individual desires good health, then demand for healthcare services increases, in other words, utilisation of healthcare services increases. The study examines healthcare utilisation among rural women in Jalpaiguri district, considering their socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The analysis is based on a sample of 627 women covering 406 households. The study shows that out of 958 illness episodes in the Jalpaiguri district, 70.56 per cent (676 episodes) of women utilised at least one healthcare facility, while 29.43 per cent (282 episodes) did not seek any healthcare during the twelve-month reference period. The majority of women in the district preferred modern healthcare facilities, with traditional approaches being used for a limited number of illness episodes.