3057.0: Monday, November 13, 2000 - Board 5

Abstract #11059

Does women's say in decision-making influence her fertility behaviour in rural Bangladesh?

Ariful Islam, Parveen Akhter Khanum, and Cristobal Tunon. Operations Research Project, HPED, ICDDR,B:Centre for Health and Population Research, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh, 880-2-9881661, ir3orp@icddrb.org

The objectives of the study were to assess the factors that improve women's role to have a say in decision-making and the influence of women's role in decision-making on her fertility behaviour.

Data for this study came from a survey of 4,967 married women of reproductive age conducted in four rural sub-districts of Bangladesh. An index was developed to assess women's say in decision-making by scoring on four items such as visiting women's parent's home, women's own health care-seeking, determining family size, and when to have a child.

The results of the study revealed that women who are educated, employed, aged 30-34, member of credit programmes, have access to media, non-muslims, had greater say in decision making. Those who had greater say in decision-making were more likely to have a desire for smaller families and less likely for additional children. Among those who had a desire for additional children, the women having greater say in decision-making were more likely to wait more to have another child than those who had comparatively a little say. Even after controlling for relevant correlates, decision-making index was found to influence women's desired family size, desire for additional children, desired spacing and current use of contraception.

The findings of the study suggest that empowerment of women is needed at all levels to reach the goal of the national family planning programme. This study also suggests areas of further research on women's status, including more in-depth qualitative research, to enrich and complement the survey findings.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants of this session will be able to 1. identify that education, employment and membership of credit programmes increase women's role in decision-making 2. Recognize that women's say in secision-making positively influences their fartility behaviour

Keywords: Family Planning,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA