![Sample our Social Sciences journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110822/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Social-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
In this article we examine factors associated with women's self-reports of reproductive ill health symptoms and factors associated with seeking and receiving treatment for the symptoms. We focus on indicators of women's societal position, especially empowerment (indicated by experience of and attitudes toward violence against women), autonomy, and education. We used data from the National Family Health Survey-2 from Kerala state in Southern India. Based on our results we suggest that violence against women, whether actually experienced or internalized as acceptance of its justification, is associated with increased ill health symptoms, and the acceptance of violence is associated with decreased chance of treatment. Women's higher formal education appeared to reduce treatment seeking for reproductive ill health, perhaps due to the stigma associated with sexually transmitted disease (STD) in this cultural setting. Women's work participation had no significant impact, nor did indicators of women's economic and personal autonomy.
Notes
NFHS-2 covers more than 99% of India's population in the 26 states (excluding Union Territories) that existed at the time of the survey, with a sample of 98,000 households, from which 90,000 ever-married women aged 15–49 were interviewed in-depth. The study was conducted by Indian Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai (designated by the Government of India Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as the nodal agency to co-ordinate and conduct the study with the help of 13 field organizations), with funding support from USAID and UNICEF, technical assistance from ORC Macro (Maryland, USA), and East-West Center (Hawaii, USA).
The variable “household standard of living index” is calculated in the original database—a summary measure that includes scores for house type (i.e., constructed of more or less durable materials), sanitation facilities, lighting source, cooking fuel, drinking water source, separate kitchen, house ownership, land ownership, livestock ownership, and durable consumer goods ownership (CitationIIPS and ORC Macro, 2001, pp. 24–28). The index is subdivided to contrast families with low, medium, and high standard of living.
NFHS-2 also included questions to measure participants’ misperceptions of modes of HIV transmission. We have not included them since preliminary examination indicated no relationship with the outcome.
*Mean number of symptoms = 1.96. SD = 1.24.
b One way ANOVA; all others: Pearson chi sq.