title: Knowledge, attitude and practice of contraception in rural kashmir.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human fertility is determined by many factors such as customs, morals and habits of social groups with regard to marital obligation of life. Acceptance of family planning methods varies within and between societies and there are many factors which are responsible for such variation at community, family and individual level. Socioeconomic environment, culture and education are few of them that play a vital role. Jammu and Kashmir state in general and Kashmir valley in particular is a Muslim-dominated population with traditionally a conservative society. Apart from family customs and influence of the elders, religious background has always been behind the passive resistance, or at the best indifference towards contraception. This study makes an attempt to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of contraception in rural Kashmir.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of contraception in rural Kashmir.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-based Cross-Sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  December 2006 to May 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  1900 currently married women in the age group of 15-49 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rural households.
  
  
  METHODS
  1900 currently married women, aged 15-49 years, selected by multi-stage random sampling technique from three districts of Kashmir valley who were interviewed at home using a pretested oral questionnaire. The assessment of various socioeconomic and other variables made as per the available standard procedures and scales.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentage, Chi square test and Bivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Knowledge of the contraceptive methods was fairly good especially for terminal methods i.e. female sterilization (97.7 %). Main source of information on contraception was obtained from mass media (60.4 %). Contraceptive practice was significantly related to number of living children, literacy, socioeconomic status and type of family.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  What is needed is to promote and stress contraceptive methods and their advantages using mass media approach and to explore more and more participation of private sector.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar, India.
authors.forename: Humera
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayat
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College Hospital, Srinagar, India.
authors.forename: Parwez Sajad
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar, India.
authors.forename: Bhat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Imtiyaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College Hospital, Srinagar, India.
authors.forename: Gazala
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hayat
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College Hospital, Srinagar, India.
authors.forename: Rehana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayat
keywords: Attitude; Condoms; Contraceptive knowledge; Mass media; Oral contraceptives; Sterilization