Removal of Financial Barrier on Contraceptive Use for Women; A Case Study of Ga-West Municipality

Abstract

Access to safe and effective family planning services and contraception empowers women to have more control over when to have children and lessens the incidence of unsafe abortions that may lead to deaths. Among socio-economic factors that influence contraceptive use and its choice, price is a likely factor which has not been fully explored in most researches. Thus removing all possible barriers from contraceptive use may help achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. This study sought to investigate whether price significantly determines the use as well as choice of contraceptives. Choice of contraceptives indicates whether the individual who uses contraceptives, uses the modern or traditional method. A total of 360 women in their reproductive age were interviewed from five (5) health facilities in the Ga-West Municipal Assembly in Greater Accra Region. Logistic regressions were used in determining whether price among other socio-economic variables influences the use of contraceptives. The Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) was also used to determine whether the price among other socio-economic variables determines the choice of contraceptives. The findings indicate that both direct price of commodity as well as indirect prices such as time used in accessing services or the opportunity cost have significant effects on the use of contraceptives. Thus an increase in price would lead to a decline in the use as well as choice of contraceptive methods. The total respondents of women not using contraceptives in the municipality accounted for 45.3% whilst users accounted for 54.7%, the main reason that accounted for the lack of use is associated with the fear of side effects. Based on the findings, it is recommended that Government takes adequate measures in scraping off the price attached to the use of these methods so as to ensure universal accessibility. Also, awareness should be intensified on the different methods and their suitability to an individual so as to allay fears of adverse side effects of family planning.