How attitudes toward family planning and discussion between wives and husbands affect contraceptive use in Ghana
Salway, S.
International Family Planning Perspectives 20(2): 44-47, 74
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0190-3187 DOI: 10.2307/2133433Document Number: 289071
A study using data from the 1988 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey reveals that 77% of cohabiting marital partners held similar attitudes toward family planning and that 73% of the concordant couples approved of contraceptive use. However, only 61% of the wives correctly reported their husband's attitude. Although 76% of the couples agreed on whether they wanted more children, just 44% gave concordant responses on ideal family size. Among respondents who reported knowing a contraceptive method, 35% of wives and 39% of husbands said they had discussed family planning with the spouse during the previous year. Regression analysis shows that urban residence, the wife's attitude toward family planning and discussion of family planning between spouses have significant independent effects on current contraceptive use.