ACCESS TO CONTRACEPTION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION IN RURAL VERSUS URBAN AREAS: A COMPARATIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Disparities in access to contraception and reproductive health knowledge between rural and urban people is an area of public health concern in India. Rural regions experience an unmet need for family planning because of low literacy, poor access to health care, and sociocultural factors resulting in inequities. The objective of this study was to compare contraceptive access, knowledge, attitude, practice and reproductive health education among rural and urban women of reproductive ages.

Methods: A total of 200 currently married women aged 15–49 years, selected by multistage random sampling, were studied. Out of them, 100 each were taken from rural and urban areas. We used a pre tested structured questionnaire to assess socio-demographic profile, knowledge, attitude and practice of contraception and access to reproductive health education. The relationships were tested using chi-square test with p<0.05 level considered significant.

Results: The contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) was significantly higher among urban women (74%) than among rural women (54%) (p=0.004). About 62% of urban women had adequate knowledge as compared to 38% of rural women (p<0.001). The unmet need for family planning among rural women is 28% and 14% among urban women (p=0.016). Approximately 71 percent of urban women and 42 percent of rural women reported exposure to any of the reproductive health education (p < 0.001). Rural areas exhibited significantly greater partner opposition, fear of side effects, and cultural barriers.

Conclusion: Rural areas and urban areas have great differences regarding contraceptive access, knowledge and attitude as well as reproductive health education. To bridge them, ASHA-based counselling, school-based adolescent reproductive health programmes and male partner engagement need urgent strengthening.