HEALTH CARE SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN RURAL AREAS OF KHULNA DISTRICT

Abstract

The health care seeking behavior is a growing concern which in realizing the characteristics of health as well as level of health care knowledge of the adolescent girls in Bangladesh. The study aimed to explore the health care seeking behavior of the adolescent girls who were belonged to the age group of 13 to 19 in three villages under Batiaghata Upazilla of Khulna district. Following survey research design a self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) was used to collect data from 157 respondents by using simple random sampling. Findings reveal that majority of the respondent (66.9 percent) were Islam believers and accomplished secondary level (60.5 percent) of education. Moreover, maximum respondents were practicing allopath (66 percent), treatment received from pharmacy (42 percent). More than 50 percent (50.3%) maintained menstruation management by using sanitary napkin as well as taking primary knowledge from school (10.8 percent). However, household income was significantly associated with place of treatment (p<.024). In addition, education of mother was positively associated with level of health care knowledge (p<.004). Furthermore, household income is strongly correlated with cost of treatment of the respondent (r =.577, p = .000). Even year of schooling of the respondent is related with level of health care knowledge (r = .185, p = .035). Finally, it can be concluded that there is a necessity for taking proper initiatives by GOs and NGOs to improve the health care seeking behavior of adolescent girls in rural areas of Bangladesh.