Contraceptive Use In Ghana Research Articles

Marriage Type and Reproductive Decisions: A Comparative Study in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study compared the effect of fertility preferences on contraceptive use in Ghana and Kenya. Data were obtained from the 1988 and 1993 Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the 1989 and 1993 Kenya DHS among a nationally representative sample of women aged 15-49 years and a sample of men aged 20-54 years. Three hypotheses were examined. Men in polygamous unions were expected to have greater influence in decision-making about contraception particularly in polygamous unions. The author analyzed preferences of men when matched with those of each of their interviewed spouses. Findings from bivariate logistic models indicate that contraceptive use was slightly higher when men wanted no more children. Panel B indicates that male preferences had more influence than female preferences on contraceptive use among polygamous couples only in the 1993 samples. Mens preferences were more influential among monogamous couples in the 2 Kenyan samples. Among couples disagreeing about preferences contraceptive use was more likely when men desired no more children. Multivariate models indicate that male preferences were not more closely associated with contraceptive use except among monogamous couples in the 1993 Kenya sample. The presence of a stronger link between male preference and use in the bivariate analysis suggests that the effect may operate through control variables. The nature of the marriage effect needs further examination. Traditions power and the influence of lineage on decision-making may be key explanatory variables.

How Attitudes Toward Family Planning and Discussion Between Wives and Husbands Affect Contraceptive Use in Ghana

Data on 661 married couples obtained from the 1988 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey were analyzed by multiple logistic regression to examine the attitudes and preferences of couples towards family size family limitation and contraceptive use as well as the degree of communication and discussion between husbands and wives. Both the husband and wife in 77% of couples shared like attitudes toward family planning. 73% of these couples approved of family planning. Yet 39% of the wives either did not know or misreported their husbands attitude. Even though 76% agreed that they wanted no more children only 44% reported the same responses on ideal family size. Only 35% of wives and 39% of husbands who knew at least one contraceptive method had talked to their spouse about family planning in the last 12 months. Wifes approval of family planning had a significant positive effect on current contraceptive use (relative risk [RR] = 11.75; p < 0.01) when the researcher controlled for background factors. While husbands approval did not have a significant effect (RR = 1.81). Significant independent variables of current contraceptive use included urban residence (RR = 1.53; p < 0.01) wifes attitude toward family planning (RR = 8.85; p < 0.01) and discussion of family planning between spouses (RR = 2.15-2.17; p < 0.01). These findings suggest that due to the considerable discrepancies between responses of wives and husbands one needs to interview both men and women to improve understanding of family planning decision making. They also indicate that the attitudes and preferences of the wife carry more weight in determining whether to adopt contraceptive than do those of the husband.

Determinants of current contraceptive use among Ghanaian women at the highest risk of pregnancy.

This study uses data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) of 1988 to examine factors determining the continued low levels of contraceptive use in Ghana. The women currently using efficient contraception are those who have sexual intercourse regularly, who discuss family planning with their partner, whose husbands approve of the use of family planning, and who live in the northern sector of the country. The finding that husband's approval is an important determinant of efficient contraceptive use has significant policy implications for Ghana and other African countries, to motivate both husbands and wives to share fertility control responsibilities.