Determinants of prenatal care utilization among low income familes in Paraíba State, Brazil

Abstract

The determinants of prenatal care in the state of Paraíba, Brazil, are examined. A population of 769 rural and urban women resident in the municipality of Caaporã and who had had a child within the five years immediatly preceding the survey were interviewed. It was found that there are deficiencies in the provision of health services, especially in the rural area. While 80 percent of the women resident in the urban area had some prenatal care, more than 40 percent of women in the rural area had received no prenatal care at all. Through cross tabulations and multivariate analysis, the study assesses the diferentials in the utilization or services and the net effect of socio-demographic variables on the use of prenatal care. It was found that there is a positive association between education and preganancy of use of prenatal care and a negative association between rural residence and the use of prenatal care.