AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ATTITUDE OF WOMEN TOWARDS FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMME

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ATTITUDE OF WOMEN TOWARDS FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMME

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the attitude of women towards family planning programme in Lagos State in Ikosi/Iheri Local Government Area of Lagos State. The purpose of this research was to find out the influence of family size, socio-economic status of families, marital status and religion on the health care users and market women attitude towards family planning. Four questions and hypotheses were stated for the study, the research design was survey in nature. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. An instrument titled: “Investigation of Attitude of Women towards Family Planning Programme in Lagos State” (IAWFP) was used to collect relevant data for the study. The total number of 90 women of child rearing age were selected using stratified random sampling technique. A total of 90 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the participants with the aid of three (3) trained research assistants. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Chi-square was used to test the null hypotheses stated for the study. The study revealed that family size will significantly influence health care users’ attitude towards family planning. It also revealed that family socio-economic status will significantly influence couples attitude towards family planning. The study further revealed that marital status will significantly influence couples attitude towards family planning. The study further revealed that religion will not significantly influence couples towards family planning. Based on the findings from the study the following conclusions were drawn that the size of a family will go a large extent in determining the type of life the offspring will live and the condition in which they would be brought up, but this still has to do with the parents’ economic status. Recommendations were made on the basis of the findings of this study which include the following: The government should make an educational policy to incorporate sex education and family planning in the post primary school curriculum. The State and Local Governments should mount intensive enlightenment campaigns on the concept of family planning and its merits. The Government and voluntary organisations should establish family planning clinics in urban and rural areas. They could render such services as advice to couples, processes involved in the practice of family planning, use of contraceptives and other methods of birth control, also mobile clinics should be provided also to carry the campaigns to rural areas where family planning clinics do not exist.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of Study

Modern family planning helps women to avoid unwanted pregnancies, illegal abortions and child bearing that will threaten their own personal health and that of the children (Ogunbayo, 2007). Family planning involves two concepts – contraceptive use and family planning services which is used by couples to bring about healthy sexual relationships among them without fears of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (Duzo & Mohammed, 2011).

Family planning is the planning of when to have and use birth techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexual education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted diseases, pre-conception counseling, management and infertility management (Derose, Mohammed, Helman