Determinants of family planning use in northern region of Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to analyze the correlates of family planning use in Northern region of Uganda. The objectives of the study were; to assess the relationship between contraceptive use and demographic and social-economic factors. The research study used secondary data from 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey data set (UGIR7BSV) focusing on women of reproductive ages 15-49 years. A sample of about 3546 women aged 15-49 years were enumerated during the 2016 UDHS in the Northern region. The study variables considered in the study were; background characteristics, (e.g. education, residence, wealth status, religion, marital status). Data analysis was done at both univariate and bivariate levels. The data was compiled; edited, validated and statistical packages like SPSS and STATA were used for effective data analysis. The data was then processed in MS word in form of cross tabulation and frequency tables and in narratives. The majority of (62%) of the respondents were married, (34 percent) were aged 20-29 and most of them were residing in rural areas (85%). Most of the women belonged to the households in the poor quantile (49.8%) and had not ever used any method of contraception (55%). Chi square tests were used to establish the relationship between contraceptive use and selected variables. The results showed a significant relationship between factors like; education, marital status, religion, age of the respondents and Wealth index and contraceptive use among women in the Northern region. The study recommended girl child education, mass sanitization about the family planning benefits, women empowerment and increased public dialogue aimed at scaling up the uptake of family planning methods among women in northern Uganda.