The Role of Social Norms in Predicting Family Planning Use among Young Wives (15-19 Years): Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study in Rural India

Shobhit Srivastava, Project Concern International India
Shri Kant Singh, International Institue for Population Science (IIPS)
Cristine H. Legare, Univeristy of Texax
Faiz A. Hashmi, Univeristy of Texax
Prasanna Thate, Project Concern International
Harshita Chari, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Anjali Singh, Project Concern International
Drishti Drishti, Project Concern International
Sudipta Mondal, Project Concern International

The study aims to determine the dominant factors that determine the use of family planning methods among young wives in rural areas of India. This was a cross-sectional study, with a sample of 1100 young wives aged 15-19 years covered in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand, India. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis was used in the present study. Further dominance analysis was employed to determine the key factors that contributes to the use of FP methods. Approximately 65% of young wives did not use any method. Male condom was the most used method, followed by the rhythm method and withdrawal. The odds of non-use of FP method were low among those young wives who had strong descriptive norms [aOR: 0.59; CI: 0.41,0.84] in reference to those women who had low descriptive norms. The top three dominant factors to explain the variance in use of FP methods were received FP counselling, descriptive norms around use of FP methods and interpersonal communication on FP. We recommend focused interventions spanning health systems, communities, and fostering shift in norms, constitute a pivotal strategy for promoting the acceptance of contraceptives among young married women.

Keywords: Family Planning and Contraception, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Fertility

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