Does Maternal Education Affect Maternal and Child Health Care Utilization?: A Community Based Study in a Urban Slum Area of Western India.

ABSTRACT

In order to examine the relationship between maternal education and maternal and child mortality a survey was carried out in urban slum area of Surat city. The sample for this survey was designed to provide estimates on a large number of indicators on the situation of children and women living in the area where RCH services are provided by the Health Department of Surat Municipal Corporation. We included the mothers who had delivered in the past 1 year and their babies.Various variables with respect to maternal care and child care were investigated. A logistic regression was applied for variables found significantly associated with maternal education. This study showed that maternal education was independently associated with various aspects of maternal health care and child health care services. It is recommended that the local authorities should make effort to increase the maternal education for the betterment of the society.