The essay will talk about maternal health and health behaviour in Bangladesh. It will also critically explore the actual fact in Bangladesh, how maternal health is influenced by their health behaviour based on social, cultural and religious framework. Moreover, it will also highlight governmental strategy for improving maternal health which will be an outstanding achievement of the “Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5” in Bangladesh.
Maternal health is the prime concern of public health in Bangladesh. After that, Bangladesh is highly motivated to achieve its “Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5” for improving maternal health and reducing the maternal mortality rate by 75% between the period of 1990 and 2015. Bangladesh’s government is promoting a safe maternity practice and reducing maternal mortality. Already, the government has been expanded and has promoted existing health services, implementing them with a new policy and services performing EOC (essential obstetric care), accessible to all women particularly pregnant mothers and adolescents.
Moreover, Bangladesh is a highly populated developing country in the world with a maternal mortality ratio of 170/100,000 live births. Particularly, prenatal and postnatal care is very poor in Bangladesh because of malnutrition. It is stated that in Bangladesh the maternal mortality and morbidity rate is the second highest in the world. There are several influential factors, for instance: indigenous health behaviour and traditional lifestyle which are remarkably based on social, cultural and religious belief. In Bangladesh, around 20,000 mothers are dying each year during their pregnancy, while 69% are from obstetric causes, 14% are as a result of injury and violence and the rest due to indirect deaths.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. MATERNAL HEALTH
3. HEALTH BEHAVIOUR
3.1 Education and Freedom
3.2 Poverty
3.3 Income and social class
3.4 Occupation
3.5 Culture
3.6 Religion
3.7 Access and Utilisation of Maternal Health in Bangladesh
4. GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS
5. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This essay explores the impact of health behaviors on maternal health outcomes in Bangladesh, critically analyzing how social, cultural, and religious frameworks influence the utilization of essential obstetric care and overall maternal well-being in a developing nation context.
- The relationship between socio-economic determinants and maternal mortality rates.
- The influence of traditional beliefs, culture, and religious restrictions on health-seeking behavior.
- Barriers to accessing maternal health services in rural versus urban populations.
- Governmental strategies and policies, such as the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 initiative, aimed at reducing maternal mortality.
Excerpt from the Book
Culture
Culture is the most important factors in health behaviour what has great role for maintaining individual health. In Bangladesh, people are fully adopted in traditional culture and health behaviour and individual’s belief, particularly Women’s maternal is commonly emerged with traditional culture and cultural belief.
Reeves and Baden (2000) stated that culture is the unique decorations of an individual thoughts, beliefs, and customs which are symbolised of approach through the lifecycle and relationships with friends, society or groups within a community. Montanari and Sonnenfeld (2006) also indicated that cultural is the intersection between tradition and modernisation. Moreover, culture depends on religion, society, race and ethnicity. Likewise, it is often claimed that culture is learned and shared from one to individuals even other person’s value, beliefs, norms and rules of their society. However, culture is also influential for an individual’s health as well.
Rahman, Parkhurst and Normand (2003) stated that in Bangladeshi rural culture belief maternal illness is the cause of evil power due to particular food intake or undefined physical causes, while young mothers do not belief like all elder members belief in their family. Consequently, young mothers have to face problem and stay in more restricted way due to ignorance of elder’s people advice. Rozario (1995) also mentioned that in rural areas due to traditional cultural belief almost maximum child born at home and unhygienic condition controlled by unqualified Dai (midwives) what leads to high maternal mortality.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: This chapter outlines the focus on maternal health in Bangladesh, contextualizing the country's efforts toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 5 and highlighting the significant impact of health behaviors on maternal outcomes.
MATERNAL HEALTH: This section defines maternal health according to global standards and discusses the specific morbidity and mortality challenges faced by women in Bangladesh, including obstetric complications and social influences.
HEALTH BEHAVIOUR: This comprehensive chapter examines the individual and systemic factors—including education, poverty, social class, occupation, culture, and religion—that dictate how women engage with health services.
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS: This section evaluates the strategies implemented by the Bangladeshi government to mitigate maternal health risks, specifically through department-led initiatives like Behaviour Change Communication (BCC).
CONCLUSION: This final chapter synthesizes the evidence, reiterating that while progress has been made toward MDG 5, addressing cultural and socio-economic barriers remains essential for long-term improvement in maternal health.
Keywords
Maternal health, Bangladesh, health behavior, maternal mortality, MDG 5, prenatal care, socio-economic factors, traditional birth attendants, obstetric care, cultural barriers, poverty, health education, reproductive health, morbidity, rural health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic essay?
The essay examines the relationship between health behaviors and maternal health outcomes in Bangladesh, emphasizing how social, religious, and economic frameworks influence these behaviors.
Which health issues are central to the study?
The study centers on maternal mortality and morbidity, identifying the high rates of obstetric complications and the impact of systemic barriers such as malnutrition and lack of access to formal healthcare.
What is the core research objective?
The goal is to explore how traditional, cultural, and religious beliefs hinder the utilization of professional maternal health services and to evaluate the effectiveness of governmental efforts to reach MDG 5 targets.
What research methods were utilized?
The work employs a critical review of existing literature, statistical reports from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), and data from global health organizations like the WHO.
What does the main body cover?
The main body investigates determinants of health—such as education, poverty, and religion—and provides an in-depth look at how these factors prevent rural and marginalized women from seeking medical care.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Key terms include maternal mortality, health behavior, Bangladesh, socio-economic determinants, and maternal health care utilization.
How do cultural beliefs specifically impact maternal outcomes in rural areas?
Cultural beliefs often encourage home births assisted by untrained midwives (Dais) and impose food taboos or restrictive behaviors, which increase the risk of complications such as infection and postpartum hemorrhage.
What role does gender play in maternal health access?
Gender discrimination and the lack of women's autonomy in a patriarchal society often require women to seek permission from husbands or family members, creating significant delays in accessing emergency care during life-threatening complications.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Kamalesh Dey (Autor:in), 2015, Impact of health behaviour on maternal health in Bangladesh, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/333873
