Patient Education and Counseling
Volume 81, Issue 3 , Pages 402-408, December 2010

The effect of spousal communication on contraceptive use in Central Terai, Nepal

  • Kang Yue

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Washington, DC 20036, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Monitoring and Evaluation Department, 1133 21st Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036, USA. Tel.: +1 202 939 2612; fax: +1 202 332 4496.
    • ,
  • Carolyn O’Donnell

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Washington, DC 20036, USA
    • Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Nepal
    • ,
  • Paul L. Sparks

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Nepal

Received 17 February 2010; received in revised form 12 July 2010; accepted 14 July 2010. published online 18 August 2010.

Abstract 

Objective

Family planning has several social and health benefits; it can reduce maternal mortality and the number of unplanned pregnancies, as well as increase educational and economic opportunities . Utilizing quantitative data from an endline household survey (July 2009) and data from focus group discussions, the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) seeks to determine whether spousal communication increases contraceptive use among married women of child-bearing age in Nepal's Central Terai region.

Methods

Quantitative household survey and qualitative focus group discussions.

Results

Women who discuss family planning with their husbands (OR=7.254), perceive husband approval on family planning (OR=5.558) and have born a son (OR=2.239) are more likely to use a modern contraceptive method. Qualitative data show that several other considerations can be motivating factors for contraceptive uptake.

Conclusion

While results do not explain the direction of causality, it is clear that spousal discussion and partner approval are significant in a woman's decision to use modern contraceptives in the Central Terai region of Nepal.

Practice implications

More research needs to be conducted on the effect of spousal communication and contraceptive use, in particular, the role of frequency, quality, and content of spousal communication, as well as individual motivations.

Keywords: Spousal communication, Family planning, Community-based health, Nepal

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PII: S0738-3991(10)00419-2

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2010.07.018

Patient Education and Counseling
Volume 81, Issue 3 , Pages 402-408, December 2010

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