Social Determinants for Using Family Planning Methods (A Study of Married Women of Pokhara Metropolitan, Kaski)

Abstract

Background: Family planning can be defined as the term which refers to use of modern contraceptives or natural techniques for either limiting or spacing pregnancies. There are many factors such as socio-economic status; age, sex, taboos, environment, culture, education, etc., which are responsible for the disparity in delivery of health services community, family, and individual level. Modern methods include; Depoprovera,

Pills, IUCD, Condoms, Implant etc. Similarly, traditional methods include periodic abstinence, withdrawal and folk methods. The main aim of this study was to explore the association between different determinants and to analyze the knowledge and use of modern family planning among the people of the study area, Pokhara Metropolitan Ward No.13, Patanbesi. Methodology: Community based descriptive study design was carried out amongst married women of reproductive age in Pokhara Metropolitan City, Kaski. The study method was quantitative method. The target population was taken from the Out Reach Clinic which was 130 and from that 97 samples were selected for the study with the help of Morgan’s table. Individual female of reproductive age was sample unit of study. Structured questionnaire was used as tools to collect data from study participants. Data collected was entered in Epi-data and data analysis was done using SPSS 20 version. Chi-Square test was used to find out the association between the selected variables of the study. Results: The study results shows that out of total respondents 97.9% of them have heard about family planning. One-fifth of respondents have good knowledge, more than half 56.5% of respondents had average knowledge and 22.8% respondents have poor level of knowledge on Family planning. Out of total 16% respondents have done permanent family planning method and more than half (84%) of respondents have used temporary family planning methods. More than half 69.1% of respondents have felt negative consequence of family planning methods. The association was found in between the use of the family planning methods and the ethnicity/caste of the participants (p=0.044). The significant association was found between another perception of family planning (i.e. have interest to have children in future) and practice of contraceptive (p = 0.019). In contrast association was not found between other perceptions of family planning. xii

Conclusion: Knowledge about the methods of family planning was quite high among the respondents. It was above 90% for both temporary and permanent methods but only very low (5.3%) for traditional methods. Most of the respondents were quite familiar with the temporary methods of family planning- Condom (89.6%), Depoprovera

(88.5%) and Pills (88.5%). Knowledge about permanent family planning methods - vasectomy and minilap was also quite high above 90%. Even though knowledge about methods is higher, significant proportion (38.5%) of the respondents do not have any knowledge regarding the negative consequences of family planning. Prevalence of permanent method of family planning was low (16%) and also most of the users were female (56.3%). And 84% use temporary means of family planning out of which Depo-provera and Pills are more popular i.e. 53.3% and 33.4% respectively. Statistically significant association was found in between the use of the family planning methods and the ethnicity/caste of the participants (p=0.044). Dalit and Janjati were in larger proportion to use family planning methods than Brahmin Chhetris. xiii