Assessment of Socio-Economic Profile and Reproductive Health Knowledge among Rural Women of Ayodhya District

Abstract

Access to reproductive health information and services is severely hampered by socioeconomic and cultural factors for rural women in India, especially in areas like Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya district. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the socioeconomic characteristics and reproductive health literacy of one hundred rural women in Shidhauna village, Milkipur block, who were between the ages of twenty and fifty. Structured interviews including sociodemographic information and a reproductive health knowledge scale were used to gather data using a cross-sectional descriptive approach and purposive sampling. The majority of participants, according to the results, had low incomes, little education, and little contact with healthcare professionals. Remarkably, just 10% showed strong awareness of reproductive health, whilst 60% showed inadequate knowledge. Reproductive health awareness was shown to be significantly correlated with factors like schooling (p = 0.017), use of prenatal care (p = 0.001), and interaction with ASHA/AWW workers (p < 0.001), according to chi-square analysis. There was a slight correlation between income and p = 0.061. These results highlight the necessity of focused interventions to improve reproductive health outcomes for rural women, with an emphasis on education, community-based outreach, and increased engagement of healthcare workers. In order to empower women and lessen disparities in reproductive health in rural India, the project provides evidence to inform the creation of local health policies and programs.