Attitudes toward and acceptance of DMPA in rural Haiti

The results of 479 structured and 33 in- depth, qualitative interviews revealed considerable misunderstanding concerning the physiological basis of fertility and reproduction. Over 60% of the rural women interviewed said they would be reluctant to use a contraceptive method that would lead to amenorrhea, as did close to 90% of urban women. More than half of both rural and urban women said they did not want to use a contraceptive method that would increase menstrual bleeding. Part two of the paper provides results of a rural, dispensary- based distribution of DMPA by auxiliary health workers that begins in August 1982. Data collected during 2 years of program activities are presented. They concern 1,164 acceptors who received 3,779 injections, totaling 11,337 months of exposure and 945 women-years of coverage. The DMPA continuation rate for 6 months is 84.8%; for 9 months, 70.5%; for one year, 58.5%; and for 18 months 40.7%. The major side-effects, reasons for dropping-out, hypotheses concerning the long-term acceptability of DMPA and the implications for the Haitian national family planning program are discussed. (Author abstract)