Assessment of Intervention Programs on Sexual Reproductive Health of Couples in Catbalogan City Philippines
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Journal of Academic Research 01:1(2016), pp. 21-32 Assessment of Intervention Programs on Sexual Reproductive Health of Couples in Catbalogan City Philippines Nora L. Lopez1 Laura B. Boller, Anacorita M. Villanueva & Art T. Roncesvalles College of Education, Samar State University, Philippines [email protected] Abstract: The study presented sexual reproductive health (SRH) programs provided to couples in Catbalogan City, Philippines. Data was gathered using a survey questionnaire interviews, and supplemented with secondary data from local SRH providers in Catbalogan and those from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Data showed that efforts from the government and other non- governmental organizations have influenced couples to practice or participate in several family planning related interventions. Half of the respondents reported positive effects on their lives. Over the years, SRH programs have resulted into declining trend in population growth and fertility rate in the Philippines while there is a sustained positive trend on the use/access of various form of contraception. The said improvement however resulted into outcomes below the desired values. SRH programs and its implementation strategies need to be revisited to identify additional or more effective forms of interventions to achieve the targets. Keywords: family planning, population, contraceptive use, maternal and child care 1. Introduction the Supreme Court of the Philippines has declared some of the law unconstitutional The Philippines sexual and (SC, 2014). The same decision also issued reproductive health (SRH) status is lagging Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on behind in Southeast Asia (WHO, nd). In some contraceptive drugs and devices for 2012, the Philippine Government passed a violation of constitutional requirements of Reproductive Health (RH) Law or the due process. Republic Act (RA) No. 10354. It is an act providing for a national policy on The religious, specifically the responsible parenthood and reproductive Catholic faithful headed by the Catholic health. The law was passed as it recognizes Bishops Conference of the Philippines on of the fundamental rights of a person, (CBCP) is against the RH Law and identify which is the right to health which includes it as intrinsically evil (Bantiles, 2013). It reproductive health (Congress of the was believed that the deeply rooted Philippines, 2012). It was primarily traditional Filipino culture makes it hard to introduced to manage the rapid growth rate implement policies such as RH law. of the Philippines and address rights of However, there seems a change in mind-set people to choose the life they desire. In the of many Filipinos as revealed in the surveys. 2004 Pulse Asia Survey reveals that 97% of The 2004 Pulse Asia survey reveals that Filipinos believe the importance to have the 83% of voters in the 2004 national elections ability to control one’s fertility or to plan will favour candidates who support the one’s family. However, about a year later, allocation of government funds for family JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH Vol. 01 No. 1 planning with only 2% saying otherwise. In Catbalogan? What are the programs or the 2013 National Demographic and Health intervention activities and how good is it? Survey reveals that about 54% of married women do not want additional children and 2. Objectives an additional 9% are already sterilized. The same survey says that 81% of married This paper assessed the SRH women want either to space their births or to intervention programs provided and the limit childbearing altogether. This change of extent of awareness and practices of couples attitude towards having children can be seen in Catbalogan City, Philippines, specifically in the downtrend of women fertility rate. In it; 1973 it was 6.0% and was reduced to half 1. Identified agencies and organization (3.0%) in 2013. The growth rate of the implementing SRH intervention Philippines has also declined from 2.35 for programs; years 1990-2000 and went 1.9% for years 2. Determined the SRH awareness and 2000-2010 (PSA). This suggests that the practices of the respondents as a result of efforts to manage population is working, intervention programs implemented; and however the ideal growth rate is yet to be 3. Determined the satisfaction level of achieved. respondents regarding the SRH programs provided. Samar Island is the third largest in the Philippines where a total of about 1.75M 3. Methodology population (PSA, 2010). As of August 2015, (Western) Samar Province has a total of The paper used descriptive research 780,581 people, 103,879 (13.3%) of which methodology. It uses survey instruments to are in Catbalogan City. Like that of the gather responses from randomly selected whole Philippines, Samar population growth couples in the City of Catbalogan followed- rate was also declining from 1.85% at the up by an interview to supplement data beginning of year 2000, 1.35% in 2010 and acquired. It also used secondary data from goes down to 1.25% as of August 2015. The various sources. decline can be attributed to the success of the government RH programs such as those Respondents come from the five that are stipulated in the RH law. most populous barangays (villages) in Catbalogan. Names of couples were taken In the Philippines 2013 National from the Barangay records. Tables 1 and 2 Demographic Survey revealed that women are the respondents profile in terms of sex, surveyed have knowledge of at least one occupation and religion. All records were method of contraception, 55% of them are secured to protect identity of the using it and 38% uses modern methods. The respondents. same report have shown that 18% of women have an unmet need for family planning, 7% The respondents are couple, however because they wanted to delay their next only six of the 85 couples have agreed to pregnancy and 11% because they wanted no participate as respondent in the research. more children. The response of the female partner was considered as the couple’s response. Who is providing the SRH services in Samar, specifically in its capital city of Lopez et.al. (2016) 22 JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH Vol. 01 No. 1 Table 1. Couple Respondents Table 2. Profile of Respondents Baranggay Sex Total Occupation % Religion % M % F % % White Collar 1.0 Roman Catholic 90.8 Mercedes 0 0.00 18 100.00 18.75 Blue Collar 18.8 Iglesia ni Cristo 3.1 Guindapunan 0 0.00 20 100.00 20.83 Pink Collar 5.2 Born Again 3.1 Canlapwas 2 8.33 22 91.66 25.00 Grey Colalr 16.7 UCCP 1.0 Barangay 13 3 15.76 16 84.21 19.79 Housewife 56.3 Mormons 1.0 Bu-ao, Ubanon 1 6.66 14 93.33 15.62 Others 2.1 Ohers 1.0 Total 6 6.25 90 93.75 100.00 Total 100.0 100.0 Table 3. Occupation of (Couple) Respondents Barangay Occupation % Mercedes Guindapunan Canlapwas Brgy.13 Bu-ao Total OFW 0 0 2 0 0 2 2.08 Saleslady 1 0 1 1 1 4 4.16 Employee 1 0 0 1 1 3 3.12 Caretaker 1 0 2 0 0 3 3.12 Teacher 1 0 0 0 0 1 1.04 Manicurist 1 0 0 1 0 2 2.08 Vendor 0 2 4 1 3 10 10.41 Laundrywoman 0 2 0 0 1 3 3.12 Maid 0 3 0 2 2 7 7.29 Welder 0 0 0 1 0 1 1.04 housewife 13 13 14 8 6 54 56.25 Waiter 0 0 0 0 1 1 1.04 Tricycle Driver 0 0 1 2 0 3 3.12 Others 0 0 0 2 0 2 2.08 Total 18 20 24 19 15 96 100 Table 4. Occupation of (Couple) Respondents Barangay Occupation % Mercedes Guindapunan Canlapwas Brgy.13 Bu-ao Total OFW 0 0 2 0 0 2 2.08 Saleslady 1 0 1 1 1 4 4.16 Employee 1 0 0 1 1 3 3.12 Caretaker 1 0 2 0 0 3 3.12 Teacher 1 0 0 0 0 1 1.04 Manicurist 1 0 0 1 0 2 2.08 Vendor 0 2 4 1 3 10 10.41 Laundrywoman 0 2 0 0 1 3 3.12 Maid 0 3 0 2 2 7 7.29 Welder 0 0 0 1 0 1 1.04 housewife 13 13 14 8 6 54 56.25 Waiter 0 0 0 0 1 1 1.04 Tricycle Driver 0 0 1 2 0 3 3.12 Others 0 0 0 2 0 2 2.08 Total 18 20 24 19 15 96 100 Lopez et.al. (2016) 23 JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH Vol. 01 No. 1 Rating of SRH services uses a 5 planning organization in the Philippines point scale with aggregated score interpreted providing SRH services (IPPF, nd.) as follows; 4.2 Family Planning Profile 1.00-1.5 – Poor 1.51-2.5 – Unsatisfactory According to the 2003, 2008 and 2.51-3.5 – Moderately Satisfactory 3.51-4.5 – Satisfactory 2013 National Demographic and Health 4.51-5.0 – Very satisfactory Survey, sexually active women have used any form of contraceptives (modern and Frequency counts, percentage and traditional method) have declined from diagrams/chart were used to present 47.3% to 32.6% or a total % drop of 31.1%. gathered data. About 39% drop of modern use of contraceptive was observed in the 2013 4. Results and Discussion survey. Based on the 2013 survey, married women in the Philippines uses modern The foregoing are the results of contraceptives such as pill (19%), female survey, interviews and documentary analysis sterilization (9%) and 4% each for related to SRH in Catbalogan City, Samar injectables and IUD (PSA, 2014).