Health Care Utilization Of Indian Rural Elderly Women: A Case Study

Abstract: Proper use of available health care facilities is a matter of concern for the present society. Numerous<br>models and theories have laid before us the details of the factors governing maximum utilization of health care<br>which has been proved to vary with individual's level of knowledge as well as level of ignorance, individual's<br>behavioural tendencies towards pursuing the right medical treatment as well as their attitude towards life and<br>economic factors. In developing countries, several societal and cultural determinants also dictate the types of<br>treatment to be pursued for particular diseases. This paper is on the effective use of health care facilities by the<br>elderly population of Mamudpur Village in Hooghly District of West Bengal. It has been found that, the Primary<br>Health Care unit in the village itself attracts almost every surveyed woman thanks to their good treatment and cost<br>effectiveness. A positive correlation has been noticed to exist between socio-economic status of the woman and her<br>tendency toward seeking medical assistance. Infrastructural facilities and behavioural determinants have been<br>proved to be among the major determining factors.