Assessment of Couples Contraception Knowledge and Source Information in Tabriz, 2001.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Family planning is a very important component of Maternal- Neonatal health and fertility health. Use of family planning methods can prevent of repeated pregnant without adequate interval, complicated pregnancy, neonatal mortality, malnutrition, abortion and premature labor. In addition, it decrease unwanted pregnancy and it's complication. There are biological, health, educational, economical and social dimentions of family planning, and direct correlation between knowledge and correct use of contraceptives and continuation of it. Freinds, family, social comunications effect on knowledge of people about contraceptives. Therefore, health planning needs collection information about population's age and sex, men and women's knowledg, attitude, use of contraception and source of information. Methods: This study is a discriptive -comparative study. Data collection tool was questionaire that compeleted by a male and a female investigator by direct interview among 220 couples in Tabriz. Results: The mean of knowledge score was 7.18+ 2.91 SD in wives and 5.67+ 2.8 SD in husbands (Range was 0-16), Couple's knowledge had a significant difference. Also, a direct correlation was between them. The main information source in wives was governmental health centers, Where as in husbands was books/magazines and his wife. Main couples' information sources showed a significant difference. Assess of knowledge regarding of some social-individual characteristics in wives (age groups, education levels and job) had significant differences. Among husbands only regarding educational levels and speaking with wife about family planning showed significant difference. Regarding knowledge of couples, wives and husbands who receive information from sources such as books/magazines had more knowledge than others. Also, husbands' knowledge that obtained from radio and television as same as books and magazines by different SD. Conclusion: The results of study showed that the low knowledge in couples is common (especially among husbands). This point probably results from family planning focuced on the women more than men and low quality services in governmetal and private health centers. Therefore, enrichment information sources for couples is nessecery regarding information sources which effects on couple's knowledge.