Contraceptive patterns among married and cohabiting women in Uganda

Abstract

There exists a substantial body of literature on the subject of modern contraceptive use among women in Uganda. One intriguing aspect, however, is whether the influence of factors associated with modern contraceptive use has remained consistent in recent times. This study utilizes Demographic Health Survey (DHS) data from the period spanning 1995 to 2011, with a focus on non-pregnant sexually active women, to shed light on this issue. We assess variations in modern contraceptive use patterns based on socio-economic and demographic characteristics of women, employing logistic regression within a complex survey design. Our findings reveal a noteworthy upward trend in modern contraceptive use, rising from 11.6% in 1995 to 32.1% in 2011, indicating positive progress in this domain. We observed increased odds of modern contraceptive use over the study period among women with primary and post-primary education, those residing in urban areas, women in the higher wealth quartiles, and those with a greater number of surviving children (p<0.01). Conversely, reduced odds of modern contraceptive use were noted among married women and those in cohabiting relationships (p<0.05). It’s important to note that the impact of these factors varied across the study period. In light of these findings, future efforts to enhance modern contraceptive use in Uganda should prioritize; (i) improving literacy levels of women, (ii) increasing access to and affordability of contraceptive services, (iii) launching awareness campaigns on family planning targeting both men and women.