scholarly journals Women empowerment for abortion and family planning decision making among marginalised women in Nepal: a mixed method study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heera KC ◽  
Mangala Shrestha ◽  
Nirmala Pokharel ◽  
Surya Raj Niraula ◽  
Prajjwal Pyakurel ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Women empowerment is multidimensional. Women’s education, employment, income, reproductive healthcare decision making, household level decision making and social status are vital for women empowerment. Nepal is committed to achieving women empowerment and gender equality, which directly affects the reproductive health issues. This can only be achieved by addressing the issues of the poor and marginalised communities. In this context, we aimed to find the association of women empowerment with abortion and family planning decision making among marginalised women in Nepal. Methods A mixed-method study was conducted at selected municipalities of Morang district of Nepal from February 2017 to March 2018. Cross sectional study was conducted among 316 married marginalised women of reproductive age (15–49 years) and key informants interview was conducted among 15 representative healthcare providers and local leaders. From key informants, data were analysed using the thematic framework method. Findings obtained from two separate analyses were drawn together and meta inferences were made. Results Women empowered above average were 50.6%. Current use of modern contraceptives were more among below average empowerment groups (p 0.041, OR 0.593 C.I. 0.36–0.98). We could not find any statistical significant differences among women empowerment with abortion knowledge (p 0.549); family planning knowledge (p 0.495) and women’s’ decision for future use of modern contraceptives (p 0.977). Most of key informants reported that unsafe abortion was into practice. Conclusions Women empowerment has no direct role for family planning and abortion decision making at marginalised communities of Morang district of Nepal. There was direct influence of different organisations for seeking healthcare services on abortion and family planning despite having women empowerment.

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heera KC ◽  
Mangala Shrestha ◽  
Nirmala Pokharel ◽  
Surya Raj Niraula ◽  
Prajjwal Pyakurel ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Women’s empowerment is multidimensional. Women’s education, employment, income, reproductive healthcare decision making, household level decision making and social status are vital for women’s empowerment. Nepal is committed to achieving women empowerment and gender equality, which directly affects the reproductive health issues. This can be achieved by addressing the issues of the poor and marginalized communities. In this context, we aimed to find the association of women’s empowerment with abortion and family planning decision making among marginalized women in Nepal. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted at selected municipalities of Morang district of Nepal from February 2017 to March 2018. A mixed method approach was used, where 316 married marginalized women of reproductive age (15–49 years) and 15 key informant interviews from representative healthcare providers and local leaders were taken. From key informants, data were analysed using the thematic framework method. Findings obtained from two separate analyses were drawn together and meta inferences were made. Results Women’s empowerment was above average, at 50.6%. Current use of modern contraceptives were more among below average empowerment groups (p 0.041, OR 0.593 C.I. 0.36–0.98). We could not find any statistically significant differences among levels of women’s empowerment, including those women with abortion knowledge (p 0.549); family planning knowledge (p 0.495) and women’s decision for future use of modern contraceptives (p 0.977). Most key informants reported that unsafe abortion was practiced. Conclusions Women’s empowerment has no direct role for family planning and abortion decision making at marginalized communities of Morang district of Nepal. However, different governmental and non-governmental organizations influence woman for seeking health care services and family planning in rural community of Nepal irrespective of empowerment status.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heera KC ◽  
Mangala Shrestha ◽  
Nirmala Pokharel ◽  
Surya Raj Niraula ◽  
Prajjwal Pyakurel ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Women’s empowerment is multidimensional. Women’s education, employment, income, reproductive healthcare decision making, household level decision making and social status are vital for women’s empowerment. Nepal is committed to achieving women empowerment and gender equality, which directly affects the reproductive health issues. This can only be achieved by addressing the issues of the poor and marginalized communities. In this context, we aimed to find the association of women’s empowerment with abortion and family planning decision making among marginalized women in Nepal. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at selected municipalities of Morang district of Nepal from February 2017 to March 2018. A mixed method approach was used, where 316 married marginalized women of reproductive age (15-49 years) and 15 key informant interviews from representative healthcare providers and local leaders were taken. From key informants, data were analysed using the thematic framework method. Findings obtained from two separate analyses were drawn together and meta inferences were made. Results: Women’s empowerment was above average, at 50.6%. Current use of modern contraceptives were more among below average empowerment groups (p 0.041, OR 0.593 C.I. 0.36-0.98). We could not find any statistically significant differences among levels of women’s empowerment, including those women with abortion knowledge (p 0.549); family planning knowledge (p 0.495) and women’s decision for future use of modern contraceptives (p 0.977). Most key informants reported that unsafe abortion was practiced. Conclusions: Women’s empowerment has no direct role for family planning and abortion decision making at marginalized communities of Morang district of Nepal. However, different governmental and non-governmental organizations influence woman for seeking health care services and family planning in rural community of Nepal irrespective of empowerment status.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heera KC ◽  
Mangala Shrestha ◽  
Nirmala Pokharel ◽  
Surya Raj Niraula ◽  
Prajjwal Pyakurel ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Women’s empowerment is multidimensional. Women’s education, employment, income, reproductive healthcare decision making, household level decision making and social status are vital for women’s empowerment. Nepal is committed to achieving women’s empowerment and gender equality, which directly affects the reproductive health issues. This can be achieved by addressing the issues of the poor and marginalized communities. In this context, we aimed to find the association of women’s empowerment with abortion and family planning decision making among marginalized women in Nepal. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at selected municipalities of Morang district of Nepal from February 2017 to March 2018. A mixed method approach was used, where 316 married marginalized women of reproductive age (15-49 years) and 15 key informant interviews from representative healthcare providers and local leaders were taken. From key informants, data were analysed using the thematic framework method. Findings obtained from two separate analyses were drawn together and meta inferences were made. Results: Women’s empowerment was above average, at 50.6%. Current use of modern contraceptives were more among below average empowerment groups (p 0.041, OR 0.593 C.I. 0.36-0.98). We could not find any statistically significant differences among levels of women’s empowerment, including those women with abortion knowledge (p 0.549); family planning knowledge (p 0.495) and women’s decision for future use of modern contraceptives (p 0.977). Most key informants reported that unsafe abortion was practiced. Conclusions: Women’s empowerment has no direct role for family planning and abortion decision making at marginalized communities of Morang district of Nepal. However, different governmental and non-governmental organizations influence woman for seeking health care services and family planning in rural communities of Nepal irrespective of empowerment status.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-376
Author(s):  
Carol R. Underwood ◽  
Lauren I. Dayton ◽  
Zoé Mistrale Hendrickson

Couple communication and joint decision-making are widely recommended in the family planning and reproductive health literature as vital aspects of fertility management. Yet, most studies continue to rely on women’s reports to measure couple concordance. Moreover, the association between communication and decision-making is often assumed and very rarely studied. Arguably, associations between dyadic communication and shared decision-making constitute a missing link in our understanding of how communication affects fertility-related practices. Informed by Carey’s notions of transmission and ritual communication, this study sought to address those gaps with two complementary studies in Nepal: a qualitative study of married men and women and a quantitative study of 737 couples. To assess spousal concordance on matters of family planning-related communication and decision-making in the quantitative study, responses from the couple were compared for each question of interest and matched responses were classified as concordant. Quantitative results found that more than one-third of couples reported spousal communication on all measured family planning-related topics. Nearly, 87% of couples reported joint decision-making on both family planning use and method type. Partner communication was significantly and positively associated with concordant family planning decision-making in both bivariate and multivariate models. Couples communicating about three family planning topics had more than twice the odds of concordant family planning decision-making than did those not reporting such communication. The qualitative findings provided insights into discordant as well as concordant interactions, revealing that decision-making, even when concordant, is not necessarily linear and is often complex.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 22-28
Author(s):  
Rajani Shah ◽  
Dinesh Kumar Malla

 Background: Family planning contributes in preventing maternal and child mortality and empowers women. For the past ten years contraceptive prevalence rate has remained stagnant in Nepal. This study aimed at iden­tifying the use and factors associated with modern contraceptive methods in Piple, Chitwan, Nepal. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Piple village development com­mittee was selected purposively, in which two wards were randomly se­lected. Married women of reproductive age (n=332) of each household were interviewed. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis were performed. Results: About half (49%) of the respondents had used a modern contra­ceptive method. Women in the age groups 25-39 years [aOR: 2.39; 95% CI: 1.16 - 4.92] and 40-49 years [aOR: 4.67; 95% CI: 1.71 - 12.70] were more likely to use modern contraceptives compared to the women in the age group 15-24 years. Similarly, women having 3 or more living children [aOR: 2.98; 95% CI: 1.19 - 7.50] were more likely to use the modern contracep­tives than women with upto two children. Women whose husbands would approve of using the contraceptives [aOR: 11.33; 95% CI: 3.93-32.62] were more likely to use the methods than those who got or perceived no ap­proval from husband. Conclusions: Information and service on modern contraceptive methods should be focused to younger women. Involvement of husbands in family planning program would contribute to use of modern contraceptives by women.


Author(s):  
P. Saravanakumar ◽  
J. Elizabeth Varakumari

Background: Women empowerment is vital for decision making on nutrition, health-seeking, family planning and economic issues for the family as a whole. In reality, there is prevalence of unequal gender norms among the women in India in urban and rural area. The objective of the study was to compare the empowerment of women in urban and rural setting in Tamil Nadu.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Nandivaram (RHTC) and Shenoy Nagar (UHTC) attached to Government Kilpauk Medical College among 200 married women of age 15-49 years with a semi-structured questionnaire during June 2018. Data was entered and analyzed in SPSS 16. Chi Square test and logistic regression was used for statistical analysis.Results: Mean age in rural group was 26.74±6.45 years and 30.4±7.35 in urban. Illiterates were 27% in rural and 14% in urban. About 67% were homemakers in rural vs. 43% in urban. About 33% were BPL in rural vs. 21% in urban. Decision making regarding household decisions, about73% in rural vs. 87% urban had participated. In health seeking behavior, 77 % in rural had no say while only 45% in urban. For Family planning, 33% in rural vs. 74% in urban had decision making which were statistically significant. Only 33% contributed to family income in rural vs. 47% in urban.Conclusions: Women empowerment is better in urban setting than rural setting. There is a strong need to create awareness and training in rural setting for better productive life.


Author(s):  
Dasari Gayathry ◽  
M. Ramsagar Reddy ◽  
B. V. Rammana

Background: Fertility decisions occur within specific social contexts and social norms therefore restrict individual decisions on fertility and behaviors related to family planning such as spacing and limiting of births and using contraception which reflects the importance of effect of inter-spousal communication on the contraceptive method choice and future intention of method use. Hence the objective of present study is to evaluate the husband wife communication and contraceptive use, method choice and timing of initiation of discussion among couples in study area.Methods: A cross - sectional study was conducted during February 2013 - January 2014 among couples residing in the field practice study areas. A semi-structured questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic characteristics, questions related to awareness, sources and decision making towards family planning was administered to 406 couples of study area.Results: It has been observed that regarding decision making, about 39.4% of the men had taken a decision on the use of contraceptive methods, and only 21.7% wives had autonomy of using contraception of their choice. Around 67.5% of the men had discussion with their wives about the family planning and more than half (57%) of the time the discussion was initiated by men.Conclusions: Husband was the decision maker in nearly half of the couples and family planning was discussed among majority of respondents. Family planning education should be encouraged through effective IEC programs and strategies for promoting husband wife communication should be considered inorder to increase family planning adoption.


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