A new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina and Population Services International finds that partner support for contraception—or lack thereof—has a very strong influence on married Cambodian women’s contraceptive use. Authors Ghazaleh Samandari and colleagues analyzed the relationship between attitudes of partners, elders and peers and contraceptive use among married Cambodian women aged 15–49 who wished to delay childbirth. According to their findings, the influence of these groups’ views, whether for or against contraceptive use, depended on how many children the women already had.
More than half (58%) of the 706 women the authors surveyed in 2007 reported not using a modern contraceptive method, although virtually all of them had at least some knowledge of modern methods and where to obtain them. Women who believed that their partner thought it was a good idea for them to practice contraception were almost three times as likely as other women to use a modern method. However, women who reported having a partner who made the final decision about contraception and those who were nervous about talking with their partner about contraception were only about half as likely as others to use a method. In addition, women who agreed that one should not practice family planning if an elder opposed it were less likely than others to be contraceptive users . . .read the full media release at the Guttmacher Institute here.
Read the full report here.
