Utilisation of Safe Delivery Services: Pathways for Determining its Inequality in Jharkhand, India

This paper investigates major socio-economic, demographic and health determinants and their net contribution in generating safe delivery inequalities among various socioeconomic groups. Findings suggest that caste, residence, wealth, age at first birth, education, birth order, mass media exposure, antenatal care utilisation and cost of delivery are significant predictors of safe delivery utilisation. Among these covariates, poor economic status, high cost of delivery, low primary education and rural residence contribute more than three-fourths of inequalities in safe delivery care. Results also suggest that the role of wealth, education and antenatal care utilisation declines when controlling other social and economic variables. Based on these findings, this paper suggests that targeting poor and uneducated women living in rural areas not only improves the safe delivery practices among them but also contributes to reduce the inequalities in utilisation of safe delivery practices.