A cross-sectional study to assess reproductive and child health profile of working women residing in urban slums of Rajkot city

Abstract

Context: In India, people residing in slum are not able to get safe food, drinking water, and shelter. Special vulnerable group such as women and children are at higher risk for infectious- and nutritional-related problems. Because of the dual responsibility of working women for her family and job, chances are always higher that the reproductive and child health (RCH) of such families are compromised. Aims: The aim of this study is to assess RCH profile of working women residing in slums. Subjects and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional observational study was carried out among slums of Rajkot city. With the usage of simple random sampling technique and informed verbal consent for the study, a total of 480 working and nonworking women were enrolled in this study. Semi-closed prestandardized questionnaire was used to capture their sociodemographic, reproductive health, and child health parameters. The World Health Organization growth standard was used to categorize the nutritional status of their children. Results: Age of marriage and first conception were significantly delayed among working women. Only 37.8%working women had adequate birth spacing between two children. About 33.3% had received adequate antenatal care (ANC) services during pregnancy. Higher prevalence of malnutrition (65.2%) and lower prevalence of full immunization (39.4%) were found among children of working women. Conclusions: Low birth spacing, lower utilization of ANC care services, higher malnutrition, and poor immunization coverage among working women had indicated underutilization of RCH services by working women of slum.

Keywords

• child malnutrition
• reproductive health
• urban slum
• working women