title: Tell them you are planning for the future: gender norms and family planning among adolescents in northern Uganda.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To understand how social norms about gender and reproduction shape fertility desires and use of family planning among adolescents in post-conflict northern Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was conducted in 2 post-conflict districts in north-central Uganda. Life histories were collected from 40 adolescents (20 males, 20 females). In-depth interviews were conducted with 40 individuals (20 males, 20 females) who were identified as significantly influencing the lives of adolescents in research areas. Data were analyzed through inductive and deductive approaches, facilitated by the qualitative software program ATLAS.ti (v.5.6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rigid gender norms and post-conflict economic realities create an environment in which young people struggle to bridge the gap between idealized and experienced gender roles. Social changes brought about by the conflict, combined with cultural values and gender norms, strongly influence fertility desires and contraceptive use. Despite support for smaller, spaced families, gendered barriers to adolescent use of family planning and access to services are significant, even among married couples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased recognition of the determining influence of gender on adolescent reproductive health provided by studies such as this can encourage greater investment in gender transformative interventions with the potential to significantly improve sexual and reproductive health across the life course.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Reproductive Health, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA. Electronic address: mka46@georgetown.edu.
authors.forename: Melissa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.forename: Rebecka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lundgren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003267:Contraception / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003469:Culture; D003625:Data Collection; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012945:Social Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014454:Uganda; D014857:Warfare; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Family planning; Gender norms; Northern Uganda