DETERMINANTS OF CONTRACEPTIVE USE AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN ISIOLO COUNTY, KENYA
Silas Mutea Murianki - Masters Student, Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Pacificah Okemwa - Lecturer, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Unplanned pregnancy is serious concern not only in public health but also in public policy and development. This study sought to examine reproductive-age women’s probability of using contraceptives relative to policy, social, economic, and cultural determinants age in Isiolo County, Kenya. Despite significant effort made by the government of Kenya to increase CPR (contraceptive prevalence rate) while reducing TFR (Total Fertility Rate) over the years, Isiolo county CPR is far below the national average, including what is stipulated as a target in the county’s Integrated Development Plan 2018 to 2022. This study's objectives were to; establish family planning (FP) and population policies, identify FP services available for use, and examine the demographics, socio-cultural, and socio-economic elements that impact on contraceptive uptake by adult females in Isiolo County. The project used descriptive cross-sectional research design to collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data from a cross-section of respondents including women visiting health facilities, health official, administrative and spiritual leaders within the community. One hundred and ten women were successfully interviewed using computer assistant personal interview (CAPI) and ten Key Informant Interviews conducted. Key informants were engaged in in-depth interviews owing to their vast understanding of community’s social life, beliefs, and practices. Before data collection exercise, ethical clearance was sought and research permission was acquired from NACOSTI (the National Commission for Science, Research and Technology). Respondents were accorded sufficient background information about the project and assured of the confidentiality of the information they would provide and made aware that participation was voluntary and once would out without any consequences. The data collected was then sorted into qualitative and quantitative datasets. Qualitative dataset was analysed thematically using a theoretically established thematic analysis (TA) model while statistical methods such as mean, standard deviation, percentages, p-values, and binary regression analysis models were used for the quantitative data. Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data was done during final preparation of the research report. The study established that place of residence (p=0.025<0.05), woman’s age (p=0.000<0.05), educational attainment (p=0.021<0.05), income level (p=0.033<0.05) and exposure to current news (p=0.001<0.05) are strongest determinants of use of contraceptive among communities in Isiolo county. The study concludes that awareness of FP programs and services and utilization of these services are completely different constructs. High levels of awareness of FP programs and services in Isiolo County did not necessarily amount to high utilization. The study recommends development of culturally responsive family planning policies and implementation guidelines that include men as family planning users and key actors in the family planning decision makers and having deliberate efforts made to provide contraceptive acceptability among the male members of the community.