Working Paper: 473

Multiple Vulnerabilities in Utilising Maternal and Child Health
Services Across Regions of Uttar Pradesh, India

Prem Shankar Mishra
T S Syamala

 

Abstract

Although there are multiple vulnerabilities in access to MCH services in India, the research has always been focussing on single dimension vulnerabilities like economic vulnerabilities or social vulnerabilities. Individuals who are poor may also face other types of vulnerabilities which together affect the access to health services. This paper, therefore, investigates the linkages between multiple vulnerabilities and utilisation of maternal and child care services. Data from NFHS (2015-16) for the state of Uttar Pradesh were used for analysing the key outcome variables namely women who received full-antenatal care (ANC), delivery care, post-natal care (PNC) and full-immunisation for children age groups 12-23 months. Bivariate analysis and binomial logistic regression analysis were employed to examine the multiple vulnerabilities on utilising MCH care services across three dimensions of vulnerabilities such as education, wealth and caste. The paper identifies strong linkages between multiple vulnerabilities and the utilisation of MCH services. Women with multiple vulnerabilities were less likely to utilise essential maternal and child healthcare services. Utilisation of MCH care services declines with increasing vulnerabilities. A multi-sectoral approach is therefore required to deal with the issues of low access and under-utilisation of maternal and child care services in the state.

Working Papers