Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) Towards Modern Contraceptives Among Married Women of Reproductive Age in Mpwapwa District, Central Tanzania
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Date
2012-05-10
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Publisher
Maxwell Scientific Organization,
Abstract
This study was undertaken in Mpwapwa District in Central Zone of Tanzania between July toAugust, 2009 to assess knowledge, attitude and practice towards modern contraceptives among married womenof reproductive age (15-49 years). Specific objectives of the study were to ascertain knowledge and attitudetowards modern contraceptives, to determine the extent of use of modern contraceptives and identify factorsassociated with current use of modern contraceptive in the study population. Study design involved a cross-sectional survey that involved 160 women randomly selected from eight villages with nearly equal number ofrespondents per village. Data from respondents were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire.Furthermore, eight Focus Groups Discussions (FGDs), with one FGD per village were also carried out to collectqualitative information. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program version 12 was used to analysequantitative data. Qualitative data were analysed using Content Analysis (CA). Results of this study revealedknowledge of modern contraceptives in a study population to be high. Furthermore, findings of this studyindicated substantial proportion of respondents to have positive attitude towards modern contraceptives andhence more room for increasing modern contraceptive use in a study population. For example, half (50%) ofrespondent that were aware of modern contraceptives thought that benefits of modern contraceptives outweighnegative effects and 42% agreed that they could recommend use of modern contraceptive to a friend. However,despite presence of positive attitude towards modern contraceptives by a good number of women in a studypopulation, negative attitude of husband towards modern contraceptives can be one of the obstacles for thesuccess of campaigns to increase modern contraceptive use in the study area. Two- third (65.8%) of studyparticipants indicated that their husband doesn’t approve modern contraceptives. Regarding contraceptiveprevalence rate in the target group (i.e., proportion currently use modern contraceptives), although there wassome improvement compared to the past national averages, however, the obtained figure (25%) was far (toolow) from the desired national target of 60%. Results for Binary Multiple Logistic Regression Analysisindicated that Likelihood (chances) of being current user of modern contraceptives by a woman increasedsignificantly by having secondary education and higher (Odds ratio (OR) = 15.18, p<0.05), having highernumber of living children (i.e., 4 and above) (OR = 19.68, p<0.01), spousal communication on moderncontraceptives (OR = 1.84, p<0.05), woman participation in decision making regarding fertility in a family (OR= 19.40, p<0.05) , husband approval of modern contraceptives (OR = 18.46, p<0.01) and having positiveattitudes towards modern contraceptives (OR = 8.50, p<0.05) (i.e., thinking that benefits of moderncontraceptives outweighs negative effects) compared to the counterparts. The Odds (chances) of being currentuser of modern contraceptive by a woman decreased by living more than 5 km from nearest health facility (OR= 0.67, p<0.05) and if had ever encountered side effects (OR = 0.44, p<0.05). Based on these findingsrecommendations for improving modern contraceptive use in a study population have been indicated.
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Keywords
Contraceptives, family planning, fertility, knowledge