Impact of Autonomy on Health-seeking Behaviour: Evidence from Rural India

Background: A strong body of evidence suggests the presence of positive association between autonomy and health-seeking behaviour among women. It has been examined that women’s autonomy is a significant influencer refining the dismal state of maternal health. The paper also tries to probe the influence of dimensions of women’s autonomy and the other associated factors on health-seeking behaviour among women, in the rural contour of India. Method: A multistage sampling technique is employed to select 600 women from the rural households in Karnataka state of India. A structured questionnaire was employed to collect the data and SPSS 16 version employed to analyze the data collected. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and logistics regression were carried out to identify the influence of dimensions of women’s autonomy on healthcare service utilization. Results: Women’s autonomy significantly influences health-seeking behaviour. Woman’s control over economic resources at the household level did not influence woman’s decision to seek healthcare, whereas woman’s freedom of movement had a significant influence on their health-seeking behaviour.