Birth control discontinuance as a diffusion process

This paper applies the diffusion of innovations model to the study of the birth control discontinuance of first-time users in the Dominican Republic. Two sets of factors are examined: social characteristics of the adopters are used to test Rogers's and Shoemaker's contention that discontinuers have more traditional values than continuers; and the adoption decision process is analyzed to identify the relationship of communication factors to discontinuance. Although number of children and experience of method problems were the major determinants of discontinuance, unfavorable information from friends and other birth control users was a significant factor. Rumor was found to have little effect on a women's decision to continue or discontinue.