Does Consciousness Play a Key Role in Understating RCH Services among Ever Married Women in Most Populous State (Uttar Pradesh) of India: Regional Analysis

Prahlad Kumar, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

The paper analyzes the factors affecting people’s awareness to various reproductive and child health programs in different regions of most populous state Uttar Pradesh (with 200 million people) using data from DLHS-3. Sources of media were considered in to five major categories. Friends and relatives are main source for spreading awareness about ANC, institutional delivery and family planning whereas role of health professionals and electronic media comes afterward. Health professionals are most important source of media for immunization followed by print media. Electronic media plays main role in awareness of breastfeeding followed by friends and relatives. Women having higher education, living in urban areas, belonging to upper wealth quintile are more aware than those who are less educated, living in rural areas and belonging to lower wealth quintile. Western region for institutional delivery and Eastern regions in case of breastfeeding, immunization and family planning is lagging behind for getting awareness.