A Comparative Analysis of Contraceptive Use in North West and South West Nigeria

Abstract

A comparative analysis of contraceptive use among females in Northwest and Southwest Nigeria was undertaken to assess the possibility of attaining the 50% contraceptive prevalence rate aim of the National Population Policy by the year 2000. Secondary data from the 1995 Sentinel Survey of the National Population Commission was employed to facilitate the analyses. This was based on 3950 and 3158 women from the Northwest and Southwest respectively, aged 15-49 years. Information from the 1990 NDHS was used for further comparisons.



Results show that proportion of women currently contracepting was 6.9% in the Northwest compared to 16.3% in the Southwest. Using logistic regression analysis, increase in the likelihood of current use of contraceptives in the two regions was associated with increasing level of education, increasing number of living children and more importantly when “ husbands ” approve of family planning. However, while results show that women living in urban areas of the Southwest are more likely to contracept, increase in the use of contraceptives in the Northwest was associated with being resident in rural areas of the Northwest. Furthermore, in the Northwest, more women who got married under the age of 20 years have increased their contraceptive use levels.



The general results show that attainment of the 50% contraceptive prevalence level by the year 2000 is not feasible. The 50% level was only attained among the surveyed women whose husbands approved of family planning. This further supports the call for men to be active participants in family planning programmes. Also, more resources should be invested in education to enhance economic productivity and hasten the demographic transition. Lastly, information, education and communication strategies of family planning programmes should be further strengthened in the rural areas where the bulk of the population lives. A special target group in the Northwest is women aged less than 20 years.



IFE PsychologIA Vol 9, No1 2001, pp. 148-172