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Mending the Gaps in Differential Contraceptive Use in India: The Crucial Role of Identifying Disadvantaged Population

Ashwani Kumar, Avenir Health (Track20 India Project)
Jayachandran A A, Avenir Health (Track20 India Project)
Yogender Pal Gupta, Y.G. Consultants & Services

The use of spacing, limiting, and overall contraceptive use in India marked by the vast disparity at the subnational level. The study assesses the regional inequality and the factors most affecting the utilization of limiting and spacing methods and overall modern contraceptive use in the selected five states of India. We analyzed a total of 161,353 currently Married Women in Reproductive Age(MWRA) of five states of India - taken from the cross-sectional 2015-16 National Family Health Survey(NFHS). We used bivariate and logistic stepwise (backward-conditional) regression techniques for analysis. The results suggest that MWRA having at least one son in the states of Bihar (AOR:6.17, 95%CI:5.29-7.19) and Uttar Pradesh (AOR:2.77, 95%CI:2.59-2.96) independently increases the likelihood to adopt a modern contraceptive method. Adoption of limiting methods is significantly higher among couples with at least one son in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat while women’s age is the most crucial predictor in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Significantly, women with higher education are more likely to use spacing methods and those who know at least three family planning methods. Thus, the findings recommend strategies focusing on disadvantaged population groups and address barriers identified to increase the utilization of modern contraceptive methods.

Keywords: Family planning and contraception, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Inequality, Family demography

See paper.

  Presented in Session 154. Influence of Ethnicity and Minority status on Contraception Use