Married Women’s Decision Making Power on Modern Contraceptive Use in Tercha Town and rural areas of Dawro Zone, SNNPR

Abstract

Back ground: The socially defined gender roles of men and women gauge the power balance between the two sexes. In developing countries most communities afford inferior positions to women. In effect women are either under collective decision-making with their partners or completely rely on the male partner’s decision on issues that affect their reproductive live. Studies to reveal the extent women involved in modern contraceptive decision making and comparative difference between urban and rural areas with contributing factors were scanty. Hence identifying the major barriers of married women’s decision-making power on contraceptive use and exploring the effect of women’s socio-economic and decision-making status on their contraceptive behavior has significance for planning contextually appropriate family planning interventions. Objective: The study is to determine current modern contraceptive practice and decision making power among married women in Tercha Town and surrounding rural areas of Dawro zone, SNNPR, 2010 Methods: Community based comparative cross-sectional study design with both quantitative and Qualitative data collection technique has been employed from March to April 2010. The respondents were 699 married women’s with in child bearing age who were identified by using prior census and sampled using simple random sampling technique. Result: Current modern contraceptive practice among married women in the Town is 86% and 72.8% in rural setting. Married women who reside in urban area privileged to decide on use of MC method two and a quarter times more likely than their rural counterparts. Having better knowledge about modern contraceptive methods, gender equitable attitude, better involvement in decisions related to children, socio-cultural and family relations in the Town and, better knowledge, fear of partner’s opposition or negligence, involvement in decisions about child and economic affairs in the surrounding rural areas were important and significant contributing factors for better decision making power of women on the use of modern contraceptive methods. Conclusion: high level of current MC practice with reduced urban rural difference as compared to regional & national figures. Urban residents have better power to make decisions on MC than rural counterparts and contributing factors were differing for both settings.