S. Tripathi, Health seeking behavior: Q-structures of rural and urban women in India with sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive tract infections, PROF GEOGR, 52(2), 2000, pp. 218-232
I use a gender framework to examine why women need to utilize social networ
k to discover and resolve problems related to reproductive tract infections
(RTI) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In India, women's health i
s linked with social status and perception of their hearth needs. This pape
r provides insight on how social networks are gender-, location-, and conte
xt-specific and how they are linked to STD issues. This piper examines why
social network are integral to women. The health-seeking behavior of rural
and urban casual sex workers is examined via Q-analysis, a language of mapp
ing relationships. Results from Q-analysis reveal women's use of four sytem
s - kinship belief, traditional medical, and western medical services. Fina
lly, I conclude with important implications for research on gender relation
s and social networks.