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. 2014 Feb;19(7 Suppl 1):S19-27.

Spousal communication on family planning and perceived social support for contraceptive practices in a sample of Malaysian women

Fatemeh Najafi-Sharjabad  1 , Hejar Abdul Rahman  2 , Muhamad Hanafiah  2 , Sharifah Zainiyah Syed Yahya  2
Affiliations

Spousal communication on family planning and perceived social support for contraceptive practices in a sample of Malaysian women

Fatemeh Najafi-Sharjabad et al. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Background: In Malaysia, contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) during past three decades has been steady, with only 34% of women practicing modern contraception. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with modern contraceptive practices with a focus on spousal communication and perceived social support among married women working in the university.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using self-administered structured questionnaire. The association between variables were assessed using Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, and logistic regression.

Results: Overall, 36.8% of women used modern contraceptive methods. Significant association was found between contraceptive practice and ethnicity (P = 0.003), number of pregnancies (P < 0.001), having child (P = 0.003), number of children (P < 0.001), positive history of mistimed pregnancy (P = 0.006), and experience of unwanted pregnancy (P = 0.003). The final model showed Malay women were 92% less likely to use modern contraception as compared to non-Malay women. Women who discussed about family planning with their spouses were more likely to practice modern contraception than the women who did not [odds ratio (OR): 2.2, Confidence Interval (CI): 1.3-3.7]. Those women with moderate (OR: 4.9, CI: 1.6-10.8) and strong (OR: 14, CI: 4.5-26.4) perception of social support for contraceptive usage were more likely to use modern contraception than the women with poor perception of social support.

Conclusion: Spousal communication regarding family planning would be an effective way to motivate men for supporting and using contraceptives. Family planning education initiatives should target both men and women, particularly high-risk cases, for promoting healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies. Ethnic disparities need to be considered in planning reproductive health programs.

Keywords: Contraceptive practices; family planning; social support; spousal communication.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of modern contraceptive methods’ use among participants (n = 142)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Modern contraceptive practices among high-risk women for pregnancy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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