Intentions to Use Contraceptives in Pakistan: Implications for Behavior Change Campaigns

Sohail Agha, Population Services International (PSI)

This study identifies barriers to the adoption of family planning among men and women in Pakistan, a country with low contraceptive prevalence. A nationally representative survey of married men and women in 2007 was used for the statistical analysis. The survey administered a module that asked men and women about the various costs of regulating fertility and about their motivation to use family planning. Principal components analysis helped identify perceptions of family planning. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used determine barriers to the adoption of family planning. The analysis was restricted to respondents who were non-users of any family planning method, were not currently pregnant and were not menopausal. The outcome of interest was the intention to use a family planning method in the next 12 months. The findings will assist program managers in Pakistan make more effective decisions regarding how to frame family planning messages.