Health care seeking in poor urban settlements in Sylhet City Corporation, 2013 : a quantitative survey

Abstract

In Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), average household size in poor urban settlements was 4.8 members, slightly higher than the national average for urban areas. The study population also was younger than the national average, a likely consequence of the relatively higher fertility rate in Sylhet Division. Eighty percent of women reported age of marriage to be 19 years or less, and 60% reported having their first birth before the age of 20. The sex ratio was 95 female per 100 male which is the reverse of the national ratio of 0.95 male/female, and suggests a persistent female disadvantage.