dc.description.abstract | This paper explores the factors influencing the uptake of long-term family planning methods in Bunyoro region. While most of the current historiography concentrates much on the unmet need and demand for family planning, this research reveals the driving forces and limitations of the uptake of long-term contraceptives. Secondary literature revealed that despite the known benefits of family planning, globally more than 120 million women aged 15 to 49 who are married or in a union have an unmet need for family planning (United Nations, 2011).Contraception has been identified as an effective means of combating the problems of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion. However, women and most especially young women who have always wanted to stop and or delay childbearing have not practiced contraception.
Methods - This study used secondary data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Healthy Survey data set. A total of 18506 women were interviewed, 5418 women were using contraceptives. Data was analyzed using Stata 13.0 into frequency tables using actual tallies and percentages and association between the dependent and independent variables was tested using logistic regression.
Results - Majority 22 percent of the women were aged 25-29 years, and most of the respondents were Anglicans 34 percent. Most of the women 58 percent were not married and the biggest proportion 73 percent of the respondents were residing in rural areas. About 57 percent of the respondents had a primary level of education. The biggest proportion of respondents was coming from rich income households 48 percent and about 49 percent of the respondents had ever given birth to three or less children. All of the respondents 100 percent had knew about contraceptives and only 20 percent of the respondents were using long term family planning methods. Bivariate results confirmed that age, religious affiliation, marital status, education level, wealth index and children ever born were significant with the uptake of long term family planning methods Consistent increase of long term contraceptive use rate from age of 25 to 44 years indicated that in the reproductive period, the better part of women reached their desired number of children and then were willing to terminate a pregnancy by using long term acting contraceptive methods. Most of the older women above 45 years old are less likely to use contraceptives; this is the age most of them clock to their menopause than their counter parts that are still young and sexually active. The likelihood of using long term contraceptive increased with increase in age of respondent and women aged 25-29 (OR=2.5076) had the highest compared to women aged 15-19 years. Decreased odds for Muslim women (OR=0.614) compared to catholic women and women whose wealth status was middle (OR= 0.780) compared to those whose wealth status was poor.
Conclusion - In conclusion, it is highly evident that there need for more sensitization on long term family planning methods. Well revised and practiced policies and strategies can help the region prosper, thus, challenges of access, acceptability, affordability and information have to be addressed by agencies, NGOs local and central government to ensure access to all individuals in need as a way of harnessing Uganda’s population dynamics for sustainable development. Therefore, Uganda’s demographic situation should be given attention of the highest order for her to gain the demographic dividend | en_US |