Assessment of the Factors Influencing Fertility Rates among Women in Uganda: A Case Study of Kabale District, Kigezi Region

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to assess the factors influencing fertility rates in Kabale District. The study applied a non-experimental design called descriptive survey research design. The study population comprised of both male and female individuals who are above the age of 18 in Kabale District, Kigezi region. A sample of 100 respondents was calculated basing on survey sampling. Multi-stage stratified cluster sampling was used to select respondents from Kabale District which constituted a strata. The sub counties, villages and households were randomly selected. In each sub-county, one village was selected with a total of five villages being randomly selected. The five villages therefore provided a total sample size of 20 respondents per village and hence 100 respondents across the District. Data was analyzed at univariate, bivariate and multivariate levels using SPSS (version 16). Study results show that the majority of respondents were females (55%), while the rest were males (45%). Study results the majority of the individuals who took part in this study were married (71%) and other respondents were single (12%) and divorced (17%). Study results show that most of the respondents had attained tertiary education (30%). Study results that the majority of the respondents that took part in the study were Anglicans (42%). The results of the study show that the most of the respondents were between 30- 50 years (39%). Chi-square results showed that there is a significant relationship between age, religion and fertility rates (number of children), of women in Kabale District at 5% significance level. Chi-square results also showed that the p-value of education level is 0.01 which is less than 0.05. The study results also showed that the most frequent causes of high fertility is the economic factors (38%). However, there are also other factors and these include; education level (15%), contraceptive use (15%), religion (12%), immigration (9%), postponement of marriage age (4%), women in labor force (6%) and abortions (1%). The study recommends, that the government of Uganda should encourage should women to acquire high level education since reduces their chances of having many children.