title: Balancing the present and the future: a study of contraceptive use in Calcutta's slums.
abstract: Calcutta, an important metropolitan city in eastern India, has a large slum population. Despite the poor economic status of this population, analysis of DHS data (2004-2005) reveals that contraceptive use levels in Calcutta slums is quite high, with a large proportion preferring terminal methods. Econometric analysis reveals that cultural factors are important determinants of contraceptive use. Results also indicate that respondents attempt to balance current needs (by trying to limit family size through use of contraceptives) but also try to provide for the future (by having at least one son before adopting family planning methods).
authors.affiliation: Economics Department, Presidency College, India. dmousumi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mousumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: Zakir
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Husain
mesh_terms: D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D018596:Hinduism; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007514:Islam; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D011204:Poverty Areas