Contraceptive Knowledge and Practice among Married Immigrant Women

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Sociology
• Public Health

Background:

• Contraceptive knowledge and practice are vital for reproductive health and family planning.
• Immigrant women often face unique challenges accessing and utilizing reproductive health services.
• Understanding these challenges is essential for developing effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current level of contraceptive knowledge among married immigrant women.
• To investigate the contraceptive practices and methods used by this population.
• To identify factors influencing contraceptive knowledge and practice in married immigrant women.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 170 married immigrant women in Daejeon city and Chungcheong area.
• Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire between November 1, 2011, and January 13, 2012.
• Convenient sampling was employed to recruit participants for the study.

Main Results:

• Only 48.2% of participants reported using contraceptive methods, with IUD, condoms, oral pills, and withdrawal being most common.
• A significant majority (73.2%) obtained contraceptive information from family and friends, while 18.3% had no information source.
• Contraceptive knowledge scores were very low (average 5.72/15), significantly influenced by education, employment, country of origin, and family type.

Conclusions:

• Married immigrant women exhibit inadequate contraceptive knowledge and practice, necessitating tailored educational interventions.
• Developing and implementing targeted contraceptive education programs can enhance knowledge and improve practices.
• Such programs are expected to contribute to increased sexual health and well-being for married immigrant women.