Maternal education and the utilization of maternal and child health services in India

The study hypothesizes that the practices of educated women are quite different from those of uneducated women with regard to pregnancy, childbirth, immunization, and management of childhood diseases such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infection (ARI). However, there exist a number of confounding factors such as socioeconomic status that are associated with the study of the impact of maternal education on health care utilization. The hypothesis that the relationship between mother"s education and health care practices might be the result of other variables is tested, and regression analysis on several of these variables is carried out. It is evident that a higher level of maternal education results in improved child survival because health services that effectively prevent fatal childhood diseases are used to a greater extent by mothers with higher education than by those with little or no education. It is concluded that the benefits of maternal education persist even when other socioeconomic factors are taken into account. (Author abstract, modified)