Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Family Planning Methods Among the Rural Females of Bagbahara Block Mahasamund District in Chhattishgarh State, India
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GLOBAL JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH Knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning methods among the rural females of Bagbahara block Mahasamund district in Chhattishgarh State, India Mohammad Jawed Quereishi * 1 , Ann Kavitha Mathew 2 , Ashish Sinha 3 ABSTRACT GJMEDPH 2017; Vol. 6, issue 2 Background 1State Planning Manager & Public If many women in Chhattisgarh are not using family planning, it is not due to a Information Officer, National Health lack of knowledge. Knowledge of contraception is nearly universal; 98 percent Mission, Chhattishgarh of currently married women know at least one modern family planning 2Faculty in Public Health, University method. Women are most familiar with female sterilization (97 percent), College of Medical Education, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala followed by male sterilization (86 percent), the pill (68 percent), the condom 3 (55 percent), and the IUD (40 percent). About two out of every five women (43 Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Pt. Jawaharlal percent) have knowledge of at least one traditional method. Yet only 45 Nehru Memorial Medical College, Raipur, percent of married women in Chhattisgarh are currently using some method of Chhattisgarh contraception, about the same as in Madhya Pradesh (44 percent) but less than *Corresponding Author the national average (48 percent). Contraceptive prevalence in Chhattisgarh is Mohammad Jawed Quereishi considerably higher in urban areas (59 percent) than in rural areas (42 percent). State Planning Manager & Public Information Officer National Health Mission, Chhattishgarh Objectives [email protected] To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning methods, Telephone No. +91 7869256646 and factors that could affect their use, among the rural females of reproductive age group (15-49 years). Conflict of Interest —none Methods Funding—none A total of 326 females of reproductive age group (15-49years) from the rural areas of Bagbahara block of Mahasamund district in Chhattisgarh state were selected randomly and interviewed with the help of semi-structured interview schedule, which consists of demographic data, questions related to knowledge, attitude and practice of different contraceptive methods and factors affecting the use of these methods. Results Most of the respondents (79%) were aware of at least one contraceptive method. The most common source of information on contraception was Health staffs (46%), followed by ASHA (Mitanin) workers (42.5%), media (7.5%) and relatives/friends (4%). Knowledge of non-contraceptive benefits of family planning methods was claimed by only 19% of the respondents, while knowledge about various adverse effects was reported by 32% of the respondents. About 62% of respondents showed favourable attitude towards family planning methods while other (34%) are against it and rest 4% didn’t responded. About 53% of respondents had ever used any family planning methods. 26% respondents were using contraceptive methods at the time of study. Intrauterine devices were the most commonly used method (46%) followed by condom (22%), female 1 www.gjmedph.com Vol. 6, No. 2 201 7 ISSN# - 2277 -9604 Original Articles sterilization (21%) and oral contraceptive pills (11%). The most common reason for discontinuation of contraceptive methods was stated as refusal by husband and side effects. Conclusion This study reveals that with increase in level of education, awareness also increased. Most of the respondents have the considerable knowledge and favorable attitude towards contraceptive methods but a wide knowledge practice gap was evident in this study, which was similar to the findings of studies done in other developing countries. Improved female education strategies and better access to services are needed to solve these problems. The use of communication media suitable for audience and adequate message is important in conducting effective family planning awareness activities. Efforts should be made to educate the public about the safety and convenience of modern, long term, reversible methods of contraception among both healthcare professionals and the public. Keywords: Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Family Planning, Contraceptives, Rural Females and modified approaches. Family planning services INTRODUCTION have the potential to improve the quality of the lives The present study was conducted among the rural of people and also their economic welfare. Increasing females of reproductive age group seeking treatment population growth is a worldwide problem today and at Community Health Centre (CHC) Bagbahara. India is no exception. These females are residing in rural areas of Bagbahara Block of Mahasamund District in A variety of different methods of contraception are Chhattisgarh state. The present study is an effort to available, which are generally extremely safe assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of compared with the risks associated with pregnancy family planning among them. Despite the provision and childbirth. Not all methods are suitable for of safe and affordable family planning services, 120 everyone. Expanding the number of family planning million couples worldwide are not using any options available to women is a critical part of contraception to limit or space their family, and many increasing contraceptive coverage, decreasing who use one or the other method, conceive. An unintended pregnancies and reducing maternal Expert Committee (1971) of the WHO defined family morbidity and mortality around the globe.1, 2 Family planning as “a way of thinking and living that is planning through contraception tries to achieve two adopted voluntarily, upon the basis of knowledge, main objectives; firstly, to have only the desired attitudes and responsible decision by individuals & number of children and secondly, to have these couples, in order to promote the health and welfare children by proper spacing of pregnancies.3 A lack of of the family group and thus contribute effectively to knowledge of contraceptive methods or a source of the social development of the country”. supply, cost and poor accessibility are the barriers that exist in developing countries. Side effects India is the second most populous in the world having perceived or real are major factors for the a rapidly growing population which is currently abandoning of modern methods. Mass media also increasing at the rate of 16 million each year. To slow plays an important role in promotion and down this growth rate, the National Population acceptability of contraception.4, 5 Maternal mortality Policy was revised by the Government of India in ratio for Nepal is high as 281 deaths per 100,000 live 2000, with the objective of bringing down the total births.6 In the effort to reduce maternal deaths in fertility rate to the replacement level by 2010. developing nations, family planning can be an Despite constant efforts by the government, unmet important and effective first step. Fewer unwanted needs still remain. The reasons for these unmet pregnancies mean fewer pregnancy related deaths, needs have to be analyzed to the core for better making family planning a vital way to improve understanding of the situation and to help the maternal health. According to Bongaarts the government in formulation of appropriate policies knowledge, attitude, practice surveys revealed no 2 www.gjmedph. com Vol. 6, No. 2 2017 ISSN# - 2277 -9604 Original Articles complete correspondence between knowledge and METHODOLOGY attitudes and between attitude and practice of family Operational Definitions planning methods.7 Fawcett has also reported that “KAP survey is a representative study of a specific respondents usually exhibit considerable knowledge population to collect information on what is known, and attitude change over time, but they do not believed and done in relation to a particular topic. In always exhibit corresponding changes in most KAP surveys, data are collected orally by an contraceptive practice.8 The family planning interviewer using a structured, standardized programmes have been in operation in India for more questionnaire. These data then can be analysed than five decades.9 There has been a considerable quantitatively or qualitatively depending on the increase in the governmental and non-governmental objectives and design of the study. A KAP survey can activities for promoting the adoption of family be designed specifically to gather information about planning through widespread and intensified efforts related topics, but it may also include questions as well as clinical services being made available to the about general health practices and beliefs”. users of family planning methods. Unmet needs are conceptually identified as a separate category within “Family planning refers to practice that help family planning services in order to focus on such individuals or couples to attain certain objectives: married women whose attitudes resemble those of a) To avoid unwanted births contraceptive users but practices do not. The factors b) To bring about wanted births responsible for such behaviour can be: lack of c) To regulate the intervals between the information or of services, inconvenient or pregnancies d) To control the time at which unsatisfactory services, poor design and birth occurs in relation to the ages of the management of service delivery systems; fears about parent contraceptive side effects, opposition from the d) To determine the number of children in the husband and relatives are other