SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF CONTRACEPTIVE USE AMONG MARRIED WOMEN IN BHUTAN

Abstract

This study aims to look at differentials of contraception use of the currently married Bhutanese women of age group 15 – 49 years and to examine how the socio-economic factor affecting the contraception use in Bhutan. The data from the Bhutan Multiple Indicator Survey 2010 has been employed. The total sample in this study are 9,419.cases. Bivariate and Multivariate logistic regression analysis are used to explore the probability of using contraception. The result reveals that the contraceptive prevalence rate of currently married women in 2010 is 69.9 percent, reflecting very remarkable achievement of the family planning program. The most popular contraceptive methods used by the currently married of all age groups are injectable (44.1%). Multiple logistic regression result shows that women’s age, number of living children, desire for more child and the region have statistically significant effect on contraception use (p=. 000). However, one surprising finding is that uneducated women are more likely to use contraception compared with educated women. Similarly, women residing in rural parts of country and in poor quintile or lowest quintile are more likely to use contraception methods, so as to prevent pregnancy than urban and women of rich quintile. This may due to the campaign and expansion of the family planning program in reaching the poor women or rural women.