Background
Contraceptive prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa is low compared to other regions of the
world. Despite this, some countries within the sub-Saharan African region, such as
Malawi, have been identified as champions of contraceptive use within the region but
still face many reproductive health challenges, such as a high total fertility rate of 5.7
births per woman (Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS), 2011). The
purpose of the study is to examine the prevalence of the use of modern contraception
given different dimensions of family structure and what significant relevance this may
have in creating contextually appropriate family planning interventions. A literature
search of studies on family structure in Africa shows little evidence of such a study in
Malawi.
Methodology
The study was cross-sectional and made use of the 2010 Malawi Demographic and
Health Survey (MDHS). It focused on women of reproductive ages (15-49 years). A total
of 12, 490 women made the sample of the study. In order to address the objectives,
descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were conducted to assess the levels and patterns
of modern contraceptive use in Malawi. Lastly, binary logistic regression was carried out
in order to test the association between different dimensions of family structure and
modern contraceptive use.
Results
The study established that the prevalence of modern contraceptive use in women of
reproductive age (15-49) in Malawi was estimated at 48%. The study showed that family
structure did have an influence on modern contraceptive use. Specifically the likelihood
of modern contraceptive use was higher among women with larger family sizes. The
association between sex composition of children and modern contraceptives was also
significant. Findings further showed that women in female-headed households were less
likely to use modern contraceptives compared to women in male-headed households.
Conclusion
Family structure was found to have an influence on modern contraceptive use in Malawi.
The study findings have implications towards achieving the reproductive goals of the
Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (2011-2016) and the Malawi Health Sector
Strategy Plan of (2011-2016) or future policies which have important reproductive health
goals for women.