Family planning performance at a major hospital in Sri Lanka
Tennakoon, S.
Ceylon Medical Journal 28(4): 233-238
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-0875 PMID: 6680335 Document Number: 415374
862 men attending the family health clinic, General Hospital, Kurunegala, Sri Lanka for sterilization over the October 1, 1982-March 1983 period were interviewed to study the characteristics of the men attending the clinic and to assess the popularity of vasectomy over other methods of family planning. For the study to be more comprehensive, the figures of the family planning activities of the hospital from 1977-82 also were examined. 438 (55.5%) of the study subjects were paddy cultivators. 71 of the men were in the 16-25 age group, 422 in the 26-35 age group, 272 in the 36-45 age group, and 97 in the 46 and older age group. 725 (85%) of the men were literate. Middle income groups comprised the major segment of men in this series. In 544 (63.1%) the vasectomy was motivated by friends and relatives; only 15 (2.0%) were motivated by health staff. 821 of the men (95.3%) belonged to the 16-39 age group. A table summarizes the relationship between age of the last living child and vasectomy performance. For 279 of the men, the age of their last living child was less than 1 year; it was 1-2 years for 218 men, 2-3 years for 180 men, and 3 or more years for 185 men. Study observations indicate that a consensus is becoming established about the role played by the male partner in family planning. The incentive scheme, acceptability and safety of the method, and a change in life styles should be considered. In the 862 vasectomies performed, there were no major complications or failures in contraception. Some pertinent factors for the favorable trend in vasectomy at this clinic are: health education talks delivered by a trained staff nurse at this clinic, outpatient department, and wards of the hospital; motivation activities of the community development social workers in the field; this clinic being the leading clinic of the limited number of institutions in Kurunegala conducting regular male sterilization clinics, and personality characteristics of the medical officer, staff, and the facilities available at the clinic. The middle months and the latter part of the year were the most popular periods at this clinic. These months represent the nonharvesting season. The study shows that the small family norm has been preferred by the majority; only 111 had more than 3 living children. Better education, better communication, and better approach methods may improve vasectomy acceptance rates.