--- abstract: 'Introduction: Reproductive tract infections including sexually transmitted infections (RTI/STIs) are problems of public health priority compromising the reproductive health of women especially in developing countries. The problem is compounded by the poor health care seeking behaviour among women due to lack of awareness and sociocultural factors. Objectives: This study is an attempt to assess the health care seeking behaviour of women reporting RTI symptoms in a rural area of Tamil Nadu state of India and to examine the association of background sociodemographic characteristics with Health care seeking behaviour. Methodology: This was a cross sectional, descriptive study conducted between March to November 2011, among married women aged 18-45 years in a rural area of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu in India. The required sample size was chosen by simple random sampling. The participants were administered a standardized, semi-structured schedule. Results: 520 women participated in the study. 173 women (33.3%) of women reported experiencing symptoms of RTI/STI in the past 12 months. Only 51.45% of those who had RTI/STI symptoms sought health care. Private health care facility was preferred by nearly two-thirds. The health care seeking behaviour showed significant association with age group of women, religion, occupational status, type of family and socioeconomic status. Conclusion: There is a need for increasing awareness among women regarding RTI/STIs and their sequelae. Targeted health education programmes should be necessary to improve health care seeking among women.' altloc: - http://www.ojhas.org/issue47/2013-3-3.html chapter: ~ commentary: ~ commref: ~ confdates: ~ conference: ~ confloc: ~ contact_email: ~ creators_id: - drgeethammc@gmail.com - ~ - ~ creators_name: - family: Mani given: G honourific: '' lineage: '' - family: Annadurai given: K honourific: '' lineage: '' - family: Danasekaran given: R honourific: '' lineage: '' date: 2013-11-15 date_type: published datestamp: 2014-08-24 20:51:16 department: ~ dir: disk0/00/00/96/90 edit_lock_since: ~ edit_lock_until: 0 edit_lock_user: ~ editors_id: - Kakkilaya BS editors_name: - family: Kakkilaya given: Srinivas honourific: Dr lineage: '' eprint_status: archive eprintid: 9690 fileinfo: /9690/1.hassmallThumbnailVersion/2013-3-3.pdf;/9690/1/2013-3-3.pdf full_text_status: public importid: ~ institution: ~ isbn: ~ ispublished: pub issn: ~ item_issues_comment: [] item_issues_count: ~ item_issues_description: [] item_issues_id: [] item_issues_reported_by: [] item_issues_resolved_by: [] item_issues_status: [] item_issues_timestamp: [] item_issues_type: [] keywords: Reproductive tract infections; Married women; Health care seeking lastmod: 2015-04-20 11:45:23 latitude: ~ longitude: ~ metadata_visibility: show note: ~ number: 3(3) pagerange: ~ pubdom: TRUE publication: Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences publisher: Kakkilaya BS refereed: TRUE referencetext: "1.\tAnnual Report to the People on Health, Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, September 2010. 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Sex Transm Dis. 2002;29:201-206.\r\n21.\tGuo S, Wang L, Yan R. Health service needs of women with reproductive tract infections in selected areas of China. Chin Med J (Engl). 2002;115(8):1253-1256." relation_type: [] relation_uri: [] reportno: ~ rev_number: 9 series: ~ source: ~ status_changed: 2014-08-24 20:51:16 subjects: - OJHAS succeeds: ~ suggestions: ~ sword_depositor: ~ sword_slug: ~ thesistype: ~ title: 'Healthcare Seeking Behaviour for Symptoms of Reproductive Tract Infections among Rural Married Women in Tamil Nadu - A Community Based Study' type: journale userid: 4338 volume: 12