1. A STUDY ON HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF PEOPLE ATTENDING ART CENTRE Dr. Richa Mishra1, Dr M.A.Khan2, Dr. Shama Shaikh3, Dr. K.Parveen4, Dr. M.A.Hassan5, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Dwivedi,6 1. J R- III, Community Medicine, 2. Lecturer(Statistics), Community Medicine, 3. Lecturer, Community Medicine, 4. Assistant Professor, Community Medicine, 5. Associate Professor, Community Medicine, 6. Prof. & Head, Department of Community Medicine, M.L.N. Medical College , Allahabad, U.P.

2. Introduction The health seeking behaviour of people living with HIV/AIDS is affected by various stigma and discrimination which discourage them from seeking care. Better understanding of these and other barriers to health-seeking behavior could increase the use of services. Therefore it is important to study the health seeking behaviour of people living with HIV/AIDS.

3. Aims & objectives To study the health seeking behaviour of people attending ART Centre.

5. Two days (Wednesday and Friday) were randomly selected.

6. 4-5 patients were interviewed randomly on every Wednesday and Friday during the twelve months study period in 2009-2010.

8. Table 1: Socio-demographic Profile

9. Fig : Distribution of patients attending ART Centre based on their literacy status

10. Fig : Distribution of patients attending ART Centre based on their initial employment status

11. Fig : Distribution of patients attending ART Centre according to their socioeconomic status (B.G. Prasad Socio economic classification, I-V)

12. Fig : Distribution of patients attending ART Centre based on their marital status

13. Table 2: Distribution of patients based on their choices of first consulting place/person and their literacy status χ2=12.2, df=3, P<0.05

14. Table 3: Distribution of patients based on their choices of first consulting place/person and their socio- economic status χ2= 42.1, df=1, p<0.001

15. Table 4 : Distribution of patients based on their place of HIV Test

16. Fig : Distribution of patients based on their referral to ART Centre

17. Fig : Distribution of patients attending ART Centre according to drug intake

18. Fig : Distribution of patients attending ART Centre, based on their visit to second health facility

19. Table 5: Distribution of patients according to their reasons for visiting the second health facility:

21. Majority preferred Government health facility for HIV Testing and seeking treatment.

22. Majority of the patients were taking drugs from ART Centre and were relieved of their symptoms.