Correlates of Paternal Participation in Maternal and Child Health Care in India

Abdul G. Khan, Gulbarga University
Sateesh Gouda, Karnataka Health Promotion Trust

Over the years, the issue of maternal health was predominantly seen and treated as a purely feminine matter. The involvement of men in ensuring and enhancing maternal health has significant positive impact on maternal and child. National Family Health survey has provided an opportunity to investigate the factors influencing men involvement in maternal and child health care in India. The result suggests that education, occupation and exposure to mass media are important factors that influence men participation in maternal and child health care, however women education has significant influence than the men education and men exposure to mass media has more impact on male involvement. Standard of living, number of living children and age difference between couple are the most influential factors. So it is suggested that there should be some more efforts to reach the men through mass media, and efforts to educate the women more and more.