Exploring Readiness for Birth Control in Improving Women Health Status: Factors Influencing the Adoption of Modern Contraceptives Methods for Family Planning Practices.

Adnan Muhammad Shah,Kangyoon Lee,Javaria Nisa Mir

doi:10.3390/ijerph182211892

Abstract

Background: Pakistan is the world’s sixth most populated country, with a population of approximately 208 million people. Despite this, just 25% of legitimate couples say they have used modern contraceptive methods. A large body of literature has indicated that sexual satisfaction is a complex and multifaceted concept, since it involves physical and cultural components. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of influencing factors in terms of contraceptive self-efficacy (CSE), contraceptive knowledge, and spousal communication on the adoption of modern contraceptive methods for family planning (FP) under the moderating role of perceived barriers. Methods: Data were collected using an adopted questionnaire issued to married women of reproductive age belonging to the Rawalpindi and Neelum Valley regions in Pakistan. The sample consisted of 250 married women of reproductive age. SPSS was used to analyze the respondents’ feedback. Results: The findings draw public attention towards CSE, contraceptive knowledge, and spousal communication, because these factors can increase the usage of modern methods for FP among couples, leading to a reduction in unwanted pregnancies and associated risks. Regarding the significant moderation effect of perceived barriers, if individuals (women) are highly motivated (CSE) to overcome perceived barriers by convincing their husbands to use contraceptives, the probability to adopt modern contraceptive methods for FP practices is increased. Conclusions: Policymakers should formulate strategies for the involvement of males by designing male-oriented FP program interventions and incorporating male FP workers to reduce communication barriers between couples. Future research should address several other important variables, such as the desire for additional child, myths/misconceptions, fear of side effects, and partner/friend discouragement, which also affect the adoption of modern contraceptive methods for FP practices.

Highlights

The current study aims to explore the impact of spousal communication, contraceptive knowledge, and contraceptive self-efficacy (CSE) on the adoption of modern contraceptive methods for Family Planning (FP) practices in a developing country context, such as Pakistan
Contraceptive knowledge is significantly positively correlated with modern FP practices (r = 0.34, p < 0.01), which provides support for proposed hypothesis 2
Modern FP practices are significantly positively correlated with spousal communication (r = 0.22, p < 0.01), which provides support for proposed hypothesis 3

Summary

Introduction

Pakistan is the world’s sixth most populated country, with a population of 208 million people at the time of writing [1]. The Pakistani government is concerned about population growth because it is related to economic and social consequences of unrestrained expansion [2,3]. Failure to control the rate of reproduction and rapid population expansion has negative consequences for development indices such as education, poverty, and life expectancy, especially for mother and child health [4]. Beginning in the 1960s, the country became a pioneer in the field of family planning (FP) among developing countries. The program is still struggling to increase the use of modern contraceptives.

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Conclusion