Access and Utilization of Family Planning Methods Among Rural Women: The Case of Mirab Badawacho Woreda, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

This study was conducted at Mirab Badawacho Woreda. Its aim was to assess the status of access family planning information and utilization of family planning methods and to identify factors that determine the decision to utilize family planning methods among rural women. The total sample size for this study was 115 (53 family planning user and 62 non-user respondents). Quantitative data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard division), inferential statistics (chi-square and t-tests) and binary logit model. From the total 11 explanatory variables included in the binary logit model, health extension contact had significant and positive effect on the decision to utilize family planning methods at 1% significant level. While education level of respondents, annual gross income had significant and positive effect on the decision to utilize family planning methods at 5% significant level whereas house type had significant and negative effect on the decision to utilize family planning methods at 5% significant level. However, attitude on family planning methods and access to NGOs support had significant and positive effect on the decision to utilize family planning methods at 10% significant level. Therefore, policy makers and family planning service providers should give due attention to determinants that significantly influencing the utilization decision of family planning methods through emphasizing women education and income improvement activities. Access to NGOs support had significant and positive effect on the decision to utilize family planning methods. Therefore, it should be better to create access to NGOs support for non-user women with special attention on intervention of family planning service. Attitude on family planning methods had significant and positive effect on the decision to utilize family planning methods. Therefore, it suggests provision of awareness creation training about the utilization of family planning methods for rural women. The significant and positive effect of Health extension contact on the decision to utilize family planning methods suggests improvement of the issues.