Factors affecting contraceptive use in Peninsular Malaysia

Thus concludes this report on the determinants of contraceptive use in Peninsular Malaysia. The authors first summarize Malaysian population and family planning programs and the 1974 Malaysian Fertility and Family Survey (MFFS), from which data on 4,458 exposed women was analyzed for this report. They proceed to discuss the findings of the MFFS regarding the net effect of marital status and duration, age, occupation, education, income, ethnicity, and residence on knowledge of and use of contraception. The authors next explain the method for selecting specific variables and for determining the separate effects of each variable. Current contraceptive use was chosen as the dependent variable; 22 demographic, background, socioeconomic, fertility preference, and perceived service availability variables were selected to be independent. The direct and indirect determinants of contraceptive use are explored. Specifically, the authors found: (1) contraception is used more to limit (than to space) the number of children; (2) there is little sex preference for children; (3) ethnicity is a key determinant of residence and lifestyle and hence of contraception, with use greatest among Chinese, followed closely by Indians, and distantly by Malays; (4) husband"s education and occupation and wife"s education and income are equal, strong, and positive determinants of contraceptive use; (5) many who want additional children are using contraception; (6) unmet need for contraception, as indicated by women wanting no more children but not using contraception, is considerable; and (7) 77% of women know of a contraceptive outlet and distance to the outlet is not a significant determinant of use. The authors conclude by recommending encouraging contraception among older and higher parity women, ethnic Malays, and less educated and poorer women. The report includes 19 tables of data and a list of six references (1971-79); a list of the regression variable and their values is appended.