Determinants of unmet need for family planning among married women in Zambia

Abstract

Unmet need for family planning remains a major family planning problem in most countries around the world. It presents serious consequences for the women, their families and society at large. This study was undertaken to establish the factors that affect total unmet need for family planning and its components in Zambia. This study used the 2013/14 Zambia Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) dataset focusing on currently married women aged 15 to 49. Data analysis took the form of descriptive, binary logistic and multinomial logistic regressions. The study shows that although there has been a substantial increase in contraceptive use, combined unmet need for family planning has only decreased slightly over time and currently stand at 21%, made up of 14% limiters and 7% spacers. Various factors were identified as determinants of unmet need for spacing, limiting or total unmet need for family planning. These included age, partner’s level of education, contraceptive side effects, husband opposition to contraceptives and number of living children. To enhance utilization, policy should not be blind to the respective factors that influence combined unmet, unmet need for spacing and limiting.

Unmet need for family planning and associated factors among currently married women of reproductive age in Bishoftu town, Eastern Ethiopia

“…The odds of unmet need for family planning were more likely in the younger age group of currently married women than the older age group women. This finding was comparable to other parts of the world whereas in contrast to studies done in different parts of Ethiopia [ 21 , 28 , 29 , 31 , 40 , 41 ]. This might be because older women are mature and better decide on their health including the use of family planning services compared to younger women.…”

“…The prevalence was higher compared with the United Nations sphere standard of unmet need for family planning, which is considered to be high if greater than 25% and the global estimate of unmet need for family planning among women in the reproductive age group (24.3%) [ 3 , 19 ]. The finding was also higher than studies conducted in different parts of the world including Zambia (21%) [ 29 ], Myanmar (19.4%) [ 30 ] and Bangladesh (13.5%), [ 31 ] and Kutaye district, Western Ethiopia (23.1%) [ 22 ]. Whereas, the finding was comparable to cross-sectional studies conducted in Tiro Afata (26%) [ 23 ], Misha (26.5%) [ 32 ], and Damot Woyde Woredas (26.3%) [ 20 ].The variations in the unmet need for family planning might be related to contextual variations including health services coverage, knowledge and attitudes towards family planning services, and socio-demographic and economic factors.…”

Influencing factors of unmet needs for child spacing among selected countries experiencing high maternal-mortality in sub-Saharan Africa

“…2 But higher than the result found in Mexico. 15 These diverse prevalence could be as a result of varying cultural believe about reproduction in these study settings and level of efforts invested into the uptake of contraception. Risk factors of unmet need for child spacing that were found across the three countries were younger age (below 40 years), primary and secondary education.…”

“…17 Stress of parenting and contraception uses may have a hidden interactions as women having more under five children were more likely to have unmet need for child spacing. 15 This could be traced to the theory of parenting stress, which is a major cause of maternal complication. 4 However, more powerful study design or powerful statistical techniques could be used to further unmask and confirm the relationship between parenting stress and unmet need for contraceptive.…”

Analisis Kebutuhan Keluarga Berencana yang Tidak Terpenuhi (Unmet Need) pada Wanita Usia Subur

“…Angka unmet need Sumatera Utara berdasarkan SDKI 2017 sama dengan angka nasional yaitu sebesar 11%. Berdasarkan analisis data RPJMN 2017 angka unmet need meningkat menjadi 37,5% (Mutiara, Sitorus, & Novita, 2020).…”