A Health Seeking Behavior of the Women of Urban Slums of Puducherry Regarding Reproductive Tract Infections

Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are a global health problem including both sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and non-sexually transmitted infections (non-STIs) of the reproductive tract. RTI/STI is an important concern, as it possess risk for human immunodeficiency virus transmission. Hence a community study was done in Puducherry in terms thirty cluster Sampling. Objective. To find out the knowledge of the suggestive symptoms of reproductive tract infections (RTI) and the relation of these symptoms with the different socio-demographic variables, reproductive characteristics, use of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and other contraceptives among the study population.

Married women in the reproductive age group (15–45 yrs. Of age) who had delivered in last 2 years preceding the study were taken as study unit & such population was the study population slum of Puduchery were interviewed. Data obtained was collated and analyzed statistically Data analysis was done using SPSS 17.0 version. Pearson chi-square test was applied for categorical variables.

The distribution of women with any problem of STDs/RTI and their health care seeking behavior. About 95 (17.6%) of women had problem of STDs/RTI in the studied population.