title: Influence of media on contraceptive use: a cross-sectional study in four Asian countries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most important factors contributing to poor state of maternal health continue to be early marriages, under-nutrition and high fertility rates in the context of low rates of contraceptive use. The aim of this study was to emphasize the influence of television on the contraceptive use in Asia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Publicly available cross-sectional survey data from Survey of Status of Women and Fertility (SWAF) was used. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios and to adjust for covariates, i.e., age, education and income. SAS-9.2 was used for statistical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Television watching is associated with increased contraceptive use, both in men and women. In India, the adjusted odds ratios for condom use in males and females were 1.9 (95% CI 1.2-2.9, p = 0.003) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.1-2.9, p = 0.019) respectively. In Pakistan the adjusted odds ratios were significant in females for condom with odds ratios of 1.9 (95% CI 1.1-3.3, p = 0.02). In the Philippines the adjusted odds ratios for condom use were 1.6 (95% CI 1.01-2.46, p = 0.05) in females and 2.5 (95% CI 1.66-3.79, p < 0.0001) in males. In Thailand the adjusted odds ratios for condom use were 19.3 (95% CI 12.3-30.3, p < 0.0001) in males and 1.5 (95% CI 1.32-1.83, p < 0.0001) in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Along with other factors affecting human behaviour, media is a very useful tool to influence health behaviours like family planning, on a large scale.
authors.forename: Muhammad Bedar
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bakht
authors.forename: Zaeema
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Arif
authors.forename: Shamsa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.forename: Muhammad Asif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nawaz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017280:Condoms; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013690:Television; D055815:Young Adult