Breaking the Stigma: Efficacy of the Reproductive Health Awareness Program

Description

Page: 526-529

Naina Sharma¹, Amandeep Kaur², and Ritu Lehal³ (Centre for Distance and Online Education, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab¹, Department of Psychology, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab², and University School of Applied Management, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab³)

Background-Reproductive health is important for women’s over all well-being. Indian culture is deeply rooted in patriarchal values, this has attributed to female reproductive health being largely ignored and treated as taboo. Rural women of India due to associated stigma do not seek timely medical intervention related to reproductive health thus leading to huge repercussions on health mainly in the form of pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, sexually transmitted infections and other RTIs. The present study aims to assess the existing level of information related to reproductive health among rural women of Patiala District. Another objective was to assess the efficacy of the reproductive health awareness program. A semi structured close-ended questionnaire consisting of 57 items was designed to assess the existing level of reproductive health knowledge, taboos, and hygiene associated with menstruation. The sample comprised of 70 rural women from low socio-economic status in the age range of 35 49 years. The study was conducted in three phases; (phase i) existing level of awareness and need was assessed; (phaseii) modules were developed; (phase iii) information was disseminated and evaluated. The results indicated that women had very low levels of information related to reproductive health. Furthermore t- test was applied to study the efficacy of the awareness program and it indicated significant improvement related to the knowledge about reproductive health.