Abstract:

This study examines the utilization patterns of male inpatient and outpatient services in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the Belgaum District of Karnataka, India. The research focuses on understanding the impact of various health policies and the availability of healthcare facilities for men in rural areas. Utilizing secondary data from the Communicable Diseases Reports of the District Health Office Belgaum over five years (2018-2022), the study employs statistical tools such as tabulation, averages, percentages, and bar diagrams to analyze the data.

Key findings indicate that the number of old outpatient (OPD) cases among men remained relatively constant, ranging between 36% and 38%, while new OPD cases fluctuated between 54% and 58%. Inpatient (IPD) cases showed minor variations, ranging from 5% to 8%. The study also highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting a decrease in old OPD cases and an increase in new OPD and IPD cases during the pandemic period.

The research underscores the importance of PHCs in providing accessible and comprehensive healthcare services to the rural male population. It also evaluates the effectiveness of major health policies such as Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (ABAK) and the National Health Mission (NHM) in improving healthcare access and outcomes. The study concludes that while PHCs play a crucial role in rural health, continuous improvement in healthcare delivery is needed to address the evolving health needs of the rural male population.

Keywords:

Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Male healthcare utilization, Inpatient services, Outpatient services, Rural healthcare, Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (ABAK), COVID-19 impact, Communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, Health Statistics and Rural health infrastructure.

Aim/Objectives

Methods