Awareness and Practices of Tharu Women on Depo- Provera Injection in Katahri VDC, Morang

Abstract

This is a field base study which is conducted to find out the awareness and practices of Tharu women on Depo-Provera injection in Katahari VDC Morang Districts. 60 respondents (15-49 years) married Tharu women were selected. The main objective of this study is to analyze the level of awareness and practices of the Tharu women. However, the followings are the specific objectives of the study: to analyze the KAP of married Tharu women about Depo-Provera, to identify the problems related to the use of family planning methods, and to find out access of Depo-Provera to Tharu community of Katahari VDC.

Interview schedule was formulated to collect the information of the respondent. Data were carefully checked and analyzed according to the objectives of the study. Nepal is a kaleidoscope of a number of communities. Here live many different different castes, races, and ethnic groups. They have special beliefs, identities and behaviors. Therefore, health related practices differ across communities. So far, there is no specific study on Tharus regarding family planning. Likewise GOs and NGOs are working in this field but there is no concrete evidence of effectiveness or achievement in practice of family planning in the context of Tharu women. Therefore, the problem is stated as "Awareness and Practices of Tharu women on Depo-Provera Injection in Katahari VDC of Morang District".

Males are more educated in comparison to their female counterparts. Compared to 27.27 percent of male population have received primary and 29.09 percent secondary level of education- only 12.28 percent and 14.04 percent women have received primary and secondary education respectively. Similarly, Compared to male illiteracy of 21.82 percentage; 63.16 percent women had not received any formal education. And 18.18 percent of male have received higher level of education but only 3.51 percent of women have received higher level of education. This indicates a gender bias in educational status. More respondents (68.33) percent of total have got married between 13-18 years. Among them 13.33 percent, 11.67 percent and 3.33 percent have got married between the age of 19-21 years, 10-12 years and 22-24 years respectively. 46.67 percent of husbands of the respondents were married between the ages of 16-18 years, followed by 19-21 years 21.67 percent, 13-15 years 16.67 percent and 10-12 years and 22-24 years 8.33 percent and 6.67 percent respectively which is low as the average age at marriage for male is 23.6 years and 20.3 years for female. In this study, most of the respondents were informed about the devices through health workers because reaching health facility in the Tarai is easy due to favorable geographic condition. It may be attributed to the low literacy rate; very few percent of the respondents were well-versed through their spouses. Among the respondents 66.67 percent are found practicing injection Depo-Provera to delay pregnancy and 33.33 percent never practiced this contraceptive. Of all the respondents who were using injection Depo-Provera have the willingness to continue it, and 25 percent of the respondents who were not using, reported that they intend to use this device in upcoming days. On the other hand, 75 percent of the non–user respondents said that they would not use any of the contraceptive methods in future.

The public sector is the predominant source of the Depo-Provera. Majority of the respondents (87.5 percent) named health post as the main source of Depo-Provera supply where as 12.5 percent named Private clinics as the source. It also indicates that nobody named NGOS/INGOS as their source of the devices. Among users nobody had the side effect of Depo-Provera, they said. Respondents don’t know how the injection works to delay pregnancy. Respondents don’t know about the hormone's name that is in the Depo-Provera. All 66.67 percent respondents, who were used Depo-Provera knew if they used Depo-Provera, they would be free from the unwanted pregnancy.