Family size intentions and attitudes to contraception: Australian and Papua New Guinean high school youth

Abstract

SynopsisThree hundred and twenty-nine Australian and 281 Papua New Guinean high school students completed a questionnaire which apped their family size intentions and knowledge and attitudes to contraception. Australian male and female students and Papua New Guinean females had mean family size intentions of less than 3 children, while Papua New Guinean males were most likely to want 4 or more children. Students in both countries had positive attitudes toward the use of contraception, especially as a method of preventing further pregnancies after attaining desired family size. Despite the intentions of Papua New Guinean youth to have small families and their positive attitudes toward the use of contraception, it was concluded that relatively high fertility in Papua New Guinea would be maintained until the economic role of children had declined.