Perceived morbidity, utilisation of health services and factors affecting it in a rural area
Pathak, M.; Ketkar, Y.A.; Majumdar, R.D.
Health and Population; Perspectives and Issues 4(1): 79-89
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0253-6803 PMID: 10260954 Document Number: 388227
A study of perceived morbidity was carried out among a total population of 8876 persons in 8 rural villages and 4 wards of Saoner town, Nagpur. Occurrences of illness and source of treatment if any were assessed by weekly visits of paramedical workers. 1240 families were each surveyed at least 4 times in 1 month over a 1 year period. 1447 spells of sickness were reported, or 176.7 spells per 1000 population per month. Information on utilization of health services was obtained for 1441, of which care from a health agency was sought in 529 cases, or 36.7%. Utilization of health services was found to be affected significantly by age, education, type of occupation, literacy, seriousness of illness, and accessibility of services. A conceptual model of the health behavior of the population, which shows the relationship between perceived morbidity, predisposing and enabling factors and utilization of health care, is described and discussed.