Socio-Demographic Factors Associated with Contraceptive Use among Young Women in Comparison with Older Women in Uganda

This research document from Uganda analyses divergent trends in modern family planning use among younger and older married women, hypothesising that factors associated with contraceptive use operate in a fundamentally different way among married women in two age groups: 15-24 and 25-34.

From a sample of 2,802 women in 2006 and 2,814 women in 2011, using logistic regression to model the relationship between selected independent variables and the outcome variable (current use of modern contraception) for each group of women in each year, the study sought to further explore the factors associated with contraceptive use among young and older married, sexually active, non-pregnant women in Uganda, for which existing literature does not provide concrete evidence. On an individual level, socio-demographic factors include educational attainment, husband’s education, marital status, age, and current desire for children. Other factors measured include exposure to family planning messages in the mass media, women’s empowerment, women’s residence (rural or urban), wealth, and region of the country. To measure women’s empowerment, the survey asked women about their decision-making, as a proxy indicator. Women were asked who makes decisions on: visiting a family relative, large family purchases, daily household purchases, and own health care.

The study found that "the key factors associated with current use of modern contraceptives among younger married women age 15-24 in both 2006 and 2011 were residence [more likely in urban areas than rural areas] and desire for children, while among women age 25-34, the significant factors associated with contraceptive use in both rounds were education level, household wealth, and desire for children." The likelihood of using contraception is associated with women’s educational attainment. The more schooling a woman has, the more likely she is to report contraceptive use. Recent exposure to family planning messages and perceived ability to refuse sex are only significantly associated with contraceptive use for older women in 2011. Analysis shows that women’s empowerment has a significant relationship with contraceptive use among older married sexually active women by 2006 and 2011. "The findings suggest that increasing secondary education for women and improving the livelihood of the population overall is important. Family planning programs should be intensified to meet the needs of young married women in rural areas of the country."