246781 Fear of family planning use among urban Nigerians and the role of health care professionals in addressing this fear

Monday, October 31, 2011

Hilary M. Schwandt, PhD , Center for Communication Programs, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Marc Boulay, PhD , Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Joanna Skinner, MHS , Center for Communication Programs, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Abdulmumin Saad, MBBS, MPH, PhD , Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Kathleen Frank, MHS , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Communication Programs, Baltimore, MD
The objective of this qualitative study was to understand key factors influencing the demand for family planning in two urban areas of Nigeria. Nigerian women average nearly six children over the course of their lifetime and the national population – already the largest in Africa – is expected to double within 25 years. The high levels of fertility are a function of both low demand for and use of contraceptive methods – only 10% of married women use a modern contraceptive. A total of 26 focus group discussions were conducted in September and October 2010. The groups were stratified by sex, age, marital status, SES, family planning use, and city. The data were coded using ATLAS.ti 6 software and analyzed using the thematic content analysis approach. Study participants conveyed a heightened fear response when discussing modern family planning method use. Individuals were aware that there are risks involved in using modern contraceptives but were less aware of the specific side effects one might encounter with each method. In comparison to risky obstetric events, giving birth at an age younger than 18 and having six children, family planning use was seen as much riskier to one's health. Health professionals were seen as integral to the understanding and safe use of family planning. A potential route for increasing demand for family planning in this environment is to build on this foundation of trust in health providers and utilize them to spread messages about safe family planning method use via mass media.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify the perception of urban Nigerians toward each family planning method.

Keywords: Contraceptives, Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I am the Monitoring & Evaluation Officer for the NURHI project – a urban family planning research project.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Contraceptive Choice, Use and Programmatic Issues
See more of: Population, Reproductive and Sexual Health