Contraceptive prevalence in the slums of Rio de Janeiro

A community-based family planning operations research project was undertaken in selected low income communities of Rio de Janeiro; project field work began in February 1982. Prevalence data were collected and service delivery strategies were tested, including home visits promoting family planning, home distribution of condoms, and the introduction of community family planning depots. A high baseline contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) of 70.1 percent was found for nonpregnant women currently in union, as well as substantial use of the private sector for contraceptive supply, despite the presence of free or subsidized sources within the communities. However, the most economically disadvantaged subgroups made the greatest use of the subsidized sources. The provision of additional service delivery sites may have contributed to a small increase in contraceptive prevalence noted over the life of the project; however, the high baseline CPR precluded a large increase in contraceptive use as a result of the program.