Socio-economic and Socio-cultural Factors Influencing Contraceptive Uptake among Women of Reproductive Age at Kahe Ward in Moshi, Kilimanjaro - Tanzania

Abstract

very per cent 11 per cent, respectively, 2014). The number of people in need of health and education, among other public goods is large and increasing which in turn requires large amounts of resources, personnel and infrastructure. This is likely to be an impediment towards the realization of the reduction of child mortality, improvement of maternal health, achievement of universal primary education, environmental sustainability and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Therefore, the countries in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) Abstract Globally 214 million women of reproductive age who want to avoid pregnancy are not using modern contraceptive methods. The government of Tanzania in collaboration with other stakeholders put in places various strategies and policies to increase uptake of family planning services. These are aimed at increasing contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR), reduction in both total fertility rate (TFR) and unmet need for family planning services. Despite the various strategies and policies, total fertility rate still remains high at 4.6 percent; Kahe Ward has a low CPR of 26.5%. The purpose of the study was to examining the socioeconomic and social cultural factors influencing contraceptive uptake among women of reproductive age at Kahe Ward in Moshi District-Tanzania. Sample sizes of 421 women were interviewed through systematic sampling of the households. Data was collected from the women using a structured questionnaire and Key informant Interview. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 23. Both descriptive and inferential statistics for different variables was computed. Chi- square was used to show the associations between variables. The study concluded that the contraceptive uptake was 56.3% which is higher than national level of 38.4%. Middle-aged women (in the age range 20 to 29) were found to use modern contraception than the older women Married women were found to practice contraceptive uptake than the others. The study revealed that 56.3% of women in at Kahe ward use contraceptive methods. This is inconsistent with the national average 38.4% (TDHS, 2015). Findings also indicated that 61% of women in marital relations were utilizing contraceptives methods. This concurs with a study by Hackert, (2014) who found that 62.5% of participants in marital union used contraceptives in Mwanza, Tanzania In this study it was observed that the use of contraceptives was significant with age which decreased with increase of chronological age till 30 years, thereafter increases to 40 years and later decrease to 57% by 49 years. These findings are consistent with other studies in Tanzania (Hackert, 2014), India (Lindh, 2011) and Jimma Town (Taye et al., 2015)which showed strong association between women age and contraceptive use. This is also inconsistent with the findings of (Tanzania Bureau of Statistics, 2010) where only 32% of women above 40 years were using methods of contraception as compared to 52% of women between 20-25 years. This study was conducted among women of reproductive age group to assess factors influencing contraception uptake and come up with the following conclusion. The contraceptive uptake was 56.3% which is higher than national level of 38.4%. Middle-aged women (in the age range 20 to 29) were found to use modern contraception than the older women Married women were found to practice contraceptive uptake than the others.