The community-based Health Extension Program significantly improved contraceptive utilization in West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia

Figures & data

Table 1 Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of study participants, West Gojjam Zone, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia, 2012

Variable	Number	Percentage
Age, years
24 and below	115	8.8
25–34	659	50.3
35 and above	535	40.9
Total	1,309	100
Marital status
Single	92	7.0
Married	1,187	90.1
Separated	11	0.8
Widow	4	0.3
Divorced	24	1.8
Total	1,318	100
Education
Illiterate	978	74.2
Read and write	215	16.3
Grade 1–6	81	6.1
Grade 7–8	24	1.8
Grade 9–12	16	1.2
University	4	0.3
Total	1,318	100
Occupation
Housewife	1,041	79.0
Farmer	258	19.6
Other	19	1.4
Total	1,318	100
Income (ETB)
≤562	331	25.1
563–760	330	25.0
711–960	353	26.8
≥961	304	23.1
Total	1,318	100
Family size
2–3	162	12.7
4–5	495	38.9
6–7	435	34.1
≥8	182	14.3
Total	1,274	100
Ethnicity
Amhara	1,309	99.3
Agew	9	0.7
Total	1,318	100

Abbreviation: ETB, Ethiopian Birr.

Table 2 Study participants’ HEP-related status in West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, 2012

Variable	Number	Percentage
Graduated household
Yes	1,006	76.3
No	312	23.7
Total	1,318	100
Year of graduation (number of years after graduation)
Not graduated	312	23.7
1–2 years	636	48.2
3 years	132	10.0
4–5 years	238	18.1
Total	1,318	100
Heard about HEP
Yes	1,211	91.9
No	107	8.1
Total	1,318	100
Sources of information (1,211)
HEWs	1,190	98.3
Other health workers	251	20.7
Community	217	17.9
Radio	56	4.6
Understanding HEP components
Yes	890	67.5
No	428	32.5
Total	1,318	100
Number of HEP packages (890)
Accurately mentioned	373	41.9
Not accurately mentioned	312	35.1
I do not know	205	23.0
Total	890	100
Community perception about the conduct of HEWs
Good	1,248	94.7
Bad	70	5.3
Total	1,318	100
Community perception about the quality of services in the HP
Good	1,244	94.4
Bad	74	5.6
Total	1,318	100
Home visits by HEWs
Yes	1,110	84.2
No	208	15.8
Total	1,318	100
Frequency of home visits by HEWs
No visits or less frequent visits	623	47.3
More frequent visits (at least one visit every 4 weeks)	695	52.7
Total	1,318	100
HP visits by the community
Yes	1,034	78.5
No	284	21.5
Total	1,318	100

Abbreviations: HEP, Health Extension Program; HEW, Health Extension worker; HP, health post.

Table 3 Study participants’ knowledge and utilization of contraceptives, West Gojjam Zone, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia, 2012

Variable	Number	Percentage
Have you ever received information about family planning services?
Yes	1,239	94.0
No	79	6.0
Total	1,318	100
Who gave you information about family planning services?
HEWs	1,149	92.7
CHWs	222	17.9
Other health workers	391	31.6
Family	73	5.9
Friend	32	2.6
Knowledge of family planning methods
Identifying six or more family planning methods	119	9.0
Identifying less than six family planning methods	1,199	91.0
Total	1,318	100
Have you ever used contraceptives?
Yes	1,045	79.3
No	273	21.7
Total	1,318	100
Are you currently using any method to delay or avoid getting pregnant?
Yes	873	66.2
No	445	33.8
Total	1,318	100
Which method are you using?
Injectables	767	87.9
Implants	49	5.6
Pills	31	3.5
Others (LAM, IUD, female sterilization, and male sterilization)	26	3.0
Total	873	100
Where did you obtain (current method) the last time?
Government health post	591	67.7
Government health center	260	29.8
Others (government hospital, private hospital/clinic)	23	2.5
Total	873	100

Abbreviations: HEW, Health Extension worker; IUD, intrauterine device; LAM, lactational amenorrhea method; CHW, community health workers.

Table 4 Factors associated with current contraceptive utilization by the community, West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, 2012 (n=1,318)

Variable	Contraceptive utilization		Crude OR (95% CI)	Adjusted OR (95% CI)
	Yes	No
Educational status
Illiterate	624	354	1.0	1.0
At least read and write	249	91	1.52 (1.181–2.040)	1.418 (1.058–1.899)
Understanding HEP
No	266	162	1.0	1.0
Yes	607	283	1.306 (1.027–1.662)	1.157 (0.884–1.513)
Visiting health post
No	177	107	1.0	1.0
Yes	696	338	1.245 (0.947–1.635)	1.024 (0.759–1.382)
Frequency of home visits by HEWs
No visits or less frequent visits	390	233	1.0	1.0
More frequent visits	483	212	1.361 (1.083–1.711)	0.930 (0.720–1.201)
Knowledge of family planning methods
Identifying less than six methods	775	424	1.0	1.0
Identifying six or more methods	98	21	2.553 (1.570–4.151)	2.724 (1.640–4.523)
Household graduation status
Not graduated	130	182	1.0	1.0
Graduated	743	263	3.955 (3.033–5.157)	3.966 (3.007–5.230)

Abbreviations: HEP, Health Extension Program; HEW, Health Extension worker; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.

Table 5 ATT of HEP “model households” on current contraceptive utilization by the community, West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, 2012

Dependent variable	Model households	Non-model households	ATT	SE	t	95% CI
Contraceptive utilization	1,006	312	0.293	0.041	7.084	(0.211–0.374)

Notes: Number of observations =1,318, number of replications =100. The numbers of treated and controls refer to actual nearest neighbor matches; ATT estimation with nearest neighbor matching method.

Abbreviations: ATT, Average treatment effect on the treated; CI, confidence interval; HEP, Health Extension Program; SE, standard error.