A hierarchical model of contraceptive use in urban and rural Bangladesh

Abstract

In this paper, a model is developed for examining the hierarchical effects of contraceptive use and its determinants in urban-rural Bangladesh by employing data from the 1989 Bangladesh Fertility Survey (BFS). In the survey, a total of 11,905 ever-married women of reproductive age were interviewed in urban and rural situations. An investigation has been carried out in this study using a set of demographic, socio-economic, cultural, and decision-making variables. A number of new findings emerge from this study. It has been found that contraceptive use has no significant variation between regions; however, a statistically significant variation exists between the blocks (census tracts) of Bangladesh. Findings also indicate that mother's parity, her education, family planning decisions, and female independence score are found to have a significant positive effect on the use of contraception in urban and rural Bangladesh, whereas child death has a significant negative influence. Religion and work experience of women are found to have little effect on contraceptive use. The findings of the study indicate priority points for policy purposes.