Socio-Economic and Demographic Effects on Fertility (A Case Study of Pakuwa Vdc, Parbat)

Abstract

The study of the Socio-Economic and Demographic Effects on Fertility is based onprimary data, which has been collected from the purposive type of sampling survey ofPakuwa VDC (i.e. ward number 7,8 and 9). The main objectives of this study are toexamine the socio-economic and demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude andpractice of family planning and effects of socio-economic and demographic variables onfertility. This study has included ever-marriedwomen of reproductive age (15-49) groups from 90households. The total population is 651, out of them 318 (48.5%) are males and 333(51.5%) are females. The dependency ratio is 48.5 with 38.5 as young age dependencyand 9.8 as old age dependency ratio inthe study area. One hundred eleven ever-married women of reproductive age (15- 49 years) aresuccessfully interviewed from ninety households in the study area. The head of thehouseholds are interviewed to collect the general socio-economic and demographiccharacteristics of those households and the women of reproductive age (from four majorcaste / ethnic groups i.e.Bramin, Chhetri, Dalits and Janajatis) are included in interviewto observe the effects of some socio-economic and demographic variables on fertilitydifferentials. Using mean, cross and frequency tables examine the effects of socio-economic and demographic variables on fertility differentials Out of 111 respondents, 69 are literate and 42 are illiterate. The majority of women areengaged in agricultural sector. Similarly, mean age at marriage is low with 2.9 meanCEB. The knowledge of family planning is almost universal but prevalence rate is stilllow (31.5%). The major findings of this study indicate the mean number of children ever born isassociated with age of women, age at first marriage, age at first birth, child lossexperience, occupation, education and family planning.