Department of Home Science (Human Development), University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
*Corresponding author Email: neerusha@gmail.com

The present study was conducted to understand the governmental health care interventions utilized by the rural mothers belonging to Below Poverty Line Families (BPL) of Jammu District of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The objectives of the study were to assess the maternal and child health care practices followed by mothers during (a) Pre-natal period (b) Post-natal period (c) Infancy and early childhood; to know the awareness of mothers regarding various schemes implemented by the Government for welfare of women and children belonging to below poverty line families, and to know the utilization of maternal and child health care services by the mothers during their pregnancy and child care. The sample consisted of sixty mothers in the age group of 20 -25 years belonging to BPL families of Bishnah block of Jammu District, having a child in the age group of 0-3 years. The results revealed that most of the mothers followed many traditional practices during pregnancy and child rearing. They had immunized themselves and their children and had utilized the health services for post-natal consultation, though the immunization advice was not available to all of them. Most of the mothers preferred delivery in the hospitals. The children were mostly breast fed and weaning was done after six months of the birth. The mothers were not aware of many governmental schemes for maternal and child health even though they were availing benefits of these, due to interventions from health care workers.

Women, Children, Health, Welfare Schemes, Below Poverty Line, Rural Area, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Received: Jan 16, 2018
Revised: Feb 1, 2018
Accepted: Feb 5, 2018
Published on: May 3, 2018
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.29198/ejss1803
European Journal of Social Sciences (EJSS), vol. 1, no. 1, pp.33-54

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