%0 Journal Article
%T Inter-district variation in socio-economic inequalities in maternal healthcare utilisation in rural Assam, 2007-08
%A Aditya Singh
%A Saradiya Mukherjee
%A Saradiya Mukherjee
%J Journal of North East India Studies
%D 2012
%I Association for North East India Studies
%X High maternal mortality coupled with low utilization in the state of Assam in North-East India has made the government to act on increasing the level of utilization of maternal health care utilization. However, without a component of equity, the efforts to increase the average could actually leave a large section of underserved poor. In this context, the study makes an attempt to measure the inequality and explore its patterns at district level in rural Assam. Using data from DLHS-3, we calculated concentration index for each district for all three maternal health care variables: antenatal care, delivery care and postnatal care. Results indicated that the level of maternal health care utilization in Assam is still low characterised by significant district level variations. We also found considerable variations in maternal healthcare use across wealth quintiles. The utilization among poor mothers was considerably lower compared to rich mothers. A large socio-economic inequality in utilization of maternal healthcare in rural Assam was noted. Moreover, the inequality varies considerably from one district to another district. Keeping in mind the considerable district level variation in the level of socio-economic inequalities in utilization, efforts should not only focus on improving overall utilization level but also on reducing inter-district variation in socio-economic inequalities.
%K Socio-economic inequalities
%K Assam
%K Maternal health care
%K Concentration index
%K Health
%U http://www.jneis.com/ojs/index.php/jneis/article/view/30/40