Does discussion of family planning improve knowledge of partner's attitude toward contraceptives?
BACKGROUND
Results from an analysis of 1998 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from Kenya, where the approval rate of family planning is 90%, have cast doubt on the assumption that spousal discussion improves knowledge of partner's attitude toward family planning. However, it is not known whether this finding also applies to contexts more typical of Sub-Saharan Africa, where approval is not as high.


METHODS
DHS data from 21 Sub-Saharan African countries were used to assess the relationship between spousal discussion and correct reporting of partner's attitude toward family planning. Multivariate analyses of data from Chad were conducted to further examine this relationship in a setting where contraceptive approval was not high.


RESULTS
In every country, the proportion of women correctly reporting their spouse's disapproval of contraception was smaller among those who had discussed family planning with their husband than among those who had never done so. However, in an analysis of Chad data that included women who did not know their husband's attitude toward contraception, proportions of women correctly citing their husband's attitude were larger if discussion had occurred than if it had not, regardless of the husband's actual approval status. In multivariate analyses of Chad data that controlled for women's demographic characteristics, discussion was positively associated with correct reporting of husband's approval, but negatively associated with correct reporting of his disapproval.


CONCLUSIONS
Partner discussion does not necessarily mean an increase in knowledge of a partner's contraceptive attitudes. Therefore, anticipated reductions in unmet need for contraception through improvements in spousal discussion may be overstated.
DeRose
Laurie F
LF
Department of Sociology and Maryland Population Research Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Dodoo
F Nii-Amoo
FN
Ezeh
Alex C
AC
Owuor
Tom O
TO
D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003267:Contraception / Q000523:psychology*; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012736:Sex Education / Q000592:standards*; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health