Current use of contraceptive method among women in a middle-income developing country

Abstract

Background:

Jamaica is a mid-range income developing country with an increasing population and public resource constraints. Therefore, reproductive health issues are of critical importance in Jamaica.

Aim:

We examined the use of contraceptives among women and the factors that influence these women to use contraceptives.

Materials and method:

In the current study we utilized the secondary dataset for the Reproductive Health Survey, conducted by the National Family Planning Board. The investigation was carried out with a stratified random sample of 7168 women aged between 15 and 49. The measures included demographic variables, method of contraception used, being in a relationship, number of partners, pregnancy status, and sexual activity status, along with other variables.

Results:

The majority of participants used some method of contraception (64%). The most popular method of contraception was a condom (32%). Results of a multivariate analysis suggests that the explanatory variables for the method of contraception used are age (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.98–0.99), social class (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.73–0.95), being in a relationship (OR = 3.35, 95% CI: 2.80–4.02), the rural-urban dichotomy (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.02–1.32), being currently pregnant (OR = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00–0.02), currently having sex (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.95–2.70), number of partners (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.57–2.17), the age at which the women began using a contraceptive (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98–1.00), and crowding (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.21–1.60).

Conclusion:

The findings are far-reaching and can be of use for aid policy formulation and intervention.

Keywords::

• contraception
• contraceptive methods
• women
• mid-range income
• developing country