Community development and fertility management in rural Thailand; An incentives program to increase contraceptive prevalence in rural Thailand
David, H.P.; Viravaidya, M.; Weeden, D.; Bennett, A.; Lauro, D.
International Family Planning Perspectives 12(1): 8-16
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0190-3187 Document Number: 500814
Two articles focus on family planning in rural Thailand. The first examines the programme established in 1973 by the Planned Parenthood Association for contraceptives distribution and sale at the community and household level. Its objective was to deliver family planning services directly to the villages instead of using the clinic based system which was inappropriate for largely rural areas. Over the years, the distribution of family planning supplies evolved into a programme linking community development endeavours with fertility management. The role of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), a non-governmental organization, which has been actively involved in this programme, is described. In particular, the PDA approach in the tungnam (watertank) project is highlighted. In the long term, the PDA aims to improve the status of women and involve them in the development process. The short term goals are: raising the contraceptive prevalence rates; promoting birth postponement; and enhancing the development of revolving loan funds at the village-level. The second article describes a pilot project in 9 villages of northeast Thailand which was designed to determine whether financial incentives can successfully be used to influence contraceptive practice at the individual and community levels. A village loan fund was made available to villagers for income-generating activities. Villagers who practised family planning were able to obtain larger loans than those who did not. Further, dividends from the profits were paid to individuals on a sliding scale, according to the effectiveness of the contraceptive method used. Increases in the practice of family planning were compared over a two-year period between 6 programme villages and 3 control villages, in which no loan fund operated. The incentives appear to have exerted a strong indirect influence on contraceptive practice. Loan fund committee officials provided contraceptive information and encouraged family planning practice on health grounds.