Gender Equity and Contraceptive Use in China: An Ecological Analysis

Abstract

Using data from China's population-based 2000 census, this ecological study examined the association between gender equity and women's contraceptive use in 30 provinces. Five province-level indicators of gender equity were used: sex ratio at birth, health, employment, education, and political participation. With the exception of sex ratio, all indices were comprised of several components. The indicators and components were grouped into tertiles. Generalized linear models were used to examine the associations between these indicators and contraceptive use. Provinces in the middle tertile of political participation had higher prevalence of contraceptive use than those in the lowest tertile (β = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.02–0.52, p < 0.034). Compared to regions in the lowest tertile, regions in the highest tertile of the proportion of females in provincial-level parties and government (β = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.04–0.46, p < 0.020) and middle tertile of female employment in all the economic activities except agriculture, industry and construction (β = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.04–0.46, p < 0.021) had a higher prevalence of contraceptive use. Regions in the middle tertile of female illiteracy (β = −0.25, 95% CI: −0.42–0.07, p < 0.006) had a lower prevalence of use of contraceptives than those in the lowest tertile. The authors of this study found mixed evidence of an association between gender equity and contraceptive use in China.