*Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Mata Sundri Girls College, VPO Dhadhe, Dist. Bathinda (Punjab)
**Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Punjabi University T.P.D. Malwa College, Rampura Phul-Mehraj, Dist. Bathinda (Punjab)
Online published on 21 November, 2013.
The present paper analyzed disease pattern, morbidity rate, health-seeking and utilization behaviour of 180 rural and 120 urban households spread across eighteen villages and nine cities/towns respectively, located in three districts of Punjab, namely, Jalandhar, Bathinda and Fatehgarh Sahib. The study clearly found that the morbidity rate of chronic diseases was very high both in rural and urban areas. Considerable differences were analyzed in the disease pattern, morbidity rate, health-seeking behaviour and utilization pattern between rural and urban areas as the proportion of patients seeking treatment from non-qualified health professionals was more pronounced among rural patients than the urban patients. The study also highlighted that the public sector institutions are unable to attract patients from rural areas. Further, the role of quacks/local doctor/hakim/faith-healers (unqualified) in treating patients was found to be very high in rural areas compared to urban areas.
Chronic diseases, morbidity rate, service utilization, health seeking behaviour, health care provider, disease pattern, rural-urban differences
