Relevance of Health Knowledge in Reporting Maternal Health Complications and Use of Maternal Health Care in India.

MATERNAL health services; STATISTICAL correlation; FACTOR analysis; HEALTH attitudes; HEALTH education; INTERVIEWING; METROPOLITAN areas; PREGNANCY complications; PRENATAL care; PROBABILITY theory; RURAL conditions; STATISTICAL sampling; SELF-evaluation; SURVEYS; MATHEMATICAL variables; WOMEN'S health; LOGISTIC regression analysis; SOCIOECONOMIC factors; EDUCATIONAL attainment; HEALTH literacy; ODDS ratio

We measured levels of women's health knowledge and their association with the reporting of maternal health complications and related health care use. We found that women with higher levels of health knowledge reported more pregnancy and postnatal complications, and used more maternal health care services. Education has a positive impact on health, but education alone is not enough to ensure recognizing and reporting of health complications and increasing the demand for maternal health care services. We conclude that the provision of health education for women will help them to identify maternal health complications and improve their reporting and related health care use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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