Does consciousness play a key role in understating RCH services among Ever Married Women in most Populous state (Uttar Pradesh) of India: A Regional Analysis

The paper analyzes the factors affecting people’s awareness to various reproductive and child health programs in different regions of most populous state Uttar Pradesh (with 200 million people) using data from DLHS-3. Sources of media were considered in to five major categories. Friends and relatives are main source for spreading awareness about ANC, institutional delivery and family planning whereas role of health professionals and electronic media comes afterward. Awareness by different Background characteristics depicts that ever married women of age group 25-29 were more aware about different government health programs followed by 20- 24 age group of ever married women.Health professionals are most important source of media for immunization followed by print media. Electronic media plays main role in awareness of breastfeeding followed by friends and relatives. Women having higher education, living in urban areas, belonging to upper wealth quintile are more aware than those who are less educated, living in rural areas and belonging to lower wealth quintile. Eastern UP among all regions seems to lag behind in case of breastfeeding, immunization and family planning awareness. Despite being economically better-off, the western region lags behind in case of awareness about institutional delivery.