Maternal Health Care Practices of Tharu Community(A Case Study in Kathar Vdc, Chitwan District)

Abstract

This study has been designed to identify the maternal health care practices of Tharuwomen in Kathar VDC of Chitwan District. The main objective of this study is to identify the knowledge and practice of maternal health care of Tharu women and itsdifferentials. It covers 118 married women. Data are collected from the 15-49 years of Tharu women who have at least one child during the five years period of marriage atthe time of survey by the household and individual questionnaires. Survey was conducted in the selected household. This study has covered the main components ofmaternal health care practices to find out the status. The relationship between maternal health care and socio-economic and demographic variables were examinedby using frequency distribution, cross tabulation and pie-chart. From the study it was found that almost 71 percentage respondents are literate and 29percentages are illiterate. Most of the respondents areengaged in agriculture and only 9.3 in service and 7.6 in Business. Majority of the respondents were married beforeage 20 years. Knowledge about maternal health care and safe delivery kits are found higher among the respondents with higher level of education. It is also high amongthe respondents who are engaged in service and business. It is low in illiterate andliterate only but not schooling respondent. Practice of ANC is high with the literate respondents than illiterate. It is also high those respondents who are engaged inservice and business than other occupation. Out of 118 respondents, 73 percent are delivered at home and only 27 percent births are delivered at health facilities. Only 41percent birth are assisted by health personal, rest of allare assisted by family member. The birth assisted by Nurse is high among the respondents who have secondary andhigher above education and who are engaged in service. Post natal care practice is found high among the respondents having higher secondary andabove education, andthose who are engaged in service. Out of 118 respondents 23 percent are received these services. Thus; this study concluded that education and non-agriculturaloccupation are important variables in determining the practice of maternalhealth care service.