Save the Children, Nepal Country Office, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, Ghorahi Dang, Nepal.
PLoS One. 2022 Dec 12;17(12):e0278899. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278899. eCollection 2022.
Uptake of family planning (FP) services could prevent many unwanted pregnancies, and unsafe abortions and avert maternal deaths. However, women, especially from ethnic and religious minorities, have a low practice of contraceptives in Nepal. This study examined the knowledge and practices of modern contraceptive methods among Muslim women in Nepal.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 Muslim women in the Khajura Rural Municipality of Banke district. Data were collected using face to face structured interviews. Two outcome variables included i) knowledge of and ii) practices of contraceptives. Knowledge and practice scores were estimated using the list of questions. Using median as a cut-off point, scores were categorised into two categories for each outcome variable (e.g., good knowledge and poor knowledge). Independent variables were several sociodemographic factors. The study employed logistic regression analysis, and odds ratios (OR) were reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) at a significance level of p<0.05 (two-tailed).
Almost two-thirds (69.2%) of respondents had good knowledge of modern contraceptive methods, but only 47.3% practised these methods. Women of nuclear family (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.38,0.95), and who work in agricultural sector (aOR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.64) were less likely to have good knowledge on modern contraceptives. Women with primary (aOR = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.43, 4.72), secondary and above education (aOR = 4.41; 95% CI:2.02,9.63), women with good knowledge of modern contraceptives (aOR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.66, 4.51), who ever visited a health facility for FP counselling (aOR = 4.40; 95% CI: 2.58, 7.50) had higher odds of modern contraceptives practices.
Muslim women had low use of modern contraceptive methods despite having satisfactory knowledge about them. There is a need for more equitable and focused high-quality FP practices. Targeted interventions are needed to increase the knowledge and practices of contraceptives in the Muslim community. The study highlights the need to target FP interventions among socially disadvantaged women, those living in a nuclear family, and those with poor knowledge of modern contraceptives.
计划生育（FP）服务的普及可以预防许多意外怀孕和不安全的堕胎，并避免孕产妇死亡。然而，尼泊尔的女性，尤其是少数民族和宗教群体的女性，避孕药具的使用率较低。本研究调查了尼泊尔穆斯林女性对现代避孕方法的知识和实践情况。
在尼泊尔班克县哈朱拉农村自治市进行了一项横断面研究，共纳入 400 名穆斯林女性。使用面对面的结构化访谈收集数据。两个结局变量包括 i）对避孕方法的了解程度和 ii）避孕方法的使用情况。使用问题清单来估计知识和实践得分。使用中位数作为截止点，将每个结局变量的得分分为两类（例如，良好的知识和较差的知识）。自变量是几个社会人口因素。本研究采用了逻辑回归分析，报告了比值比（OR）及其 95%置信区间（CI），显著性水平为 p<0.05（双侧）。
近三分之二（69.2%）的受访者对现代避孕方法有较好的了解，但只有 47.3%的人实际使用这些方法。核心家庭的女性（调整后的比值比（aOR）=0.60；95%CI：0.38，0.95）和从事农业部门工作的女性（aOR=0.38；95%CI：0.22，0.64）更不可能对现代避孕方法有较好的了解。接受过小学（aOR=2.59；95%CI：1.43，4.72）、中学及以上（aOR=4.41；95%CI：2.02，9.63）教育、对现代避孕方法有较好了解（aOR=2.73；95%CI：1.66，4.51）、曾因计划生育咨询而前往医疗保健机构的女性（aOR=4.40；95%CI：2.58，7.50）更有可能使用现代避孕方法。
尽管穆斯林女性对现代避孕方法有较好的了解，但她们的使用率却很低。需要更加公平和有针对性的高质量计划生育实践。需要针对穆斯林社区开展提高避孕知识和实践的针对性干预措施。本研究强调需要针对社会弱势群体、核心家庭中的女性以及对现代避孕方法了解较差的女性开展计划生育干预措施。
