Voices of Rural India: a qualitative study on ASHA workers’ perspective on health-seeking behaviour of women

Abstract

Introduction: Health-seeking behaviour is one’s action or inaction to find an appropriate cure when they feel they have a health problem. Community health workers can provide a comprehensive understanding of women's healthcare-seeking practices, which gives them the chance to evaluate their level of care delivery to determine whether there are any barriers or enhancers on the health provider’s side. The study aims to assess the community health workers' perspective regarding health-seeking behaviour among rural women and determine the factors affecting it. Materials and methods: Qualitative, phenomenological, study using focus group discussions was conducted among ASHAs - the community health workers, who provide healthcare in a rural village in India. The transcribed data was analysed further using thematic analysis. Results: From the community health workers’ perspective, gender disparities, socio-cultural barriers, financial dependency on men, patriarchal decision-making norms in a family, overburden of household responsibilities, and lack of health awareness were found to hinder the health-seeking behaviour of a rural woman. Family planning was still considered a stigmatising concept among women in rural areas. Some short-term strategies that emerged to bridge this gap were home-based healthcare services, a multi-source group approach of awareness campaigns, promoting self-prioritisation of health among women, and strengthening family planning awareness among both genders. Conclusion: Health-seeking behaviour is a strong health indicator of an individual or a community, as it laid the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle. Achieving equal health rights for women will be crucial to establish the global health aim of universal health coverage.