This MA Thesis explores the effect of the armed conflict on modern contraceptive utilisation in Colombia, using a departmental random-effects logistic regression model on novel cross-sectional data from the Uppsala Peace and Conflict Database Georeferenced Event Data and the Colombian Demographic and Health Surveys from 2000, 2005 and 2010. Reproductive health and rights has enormous consequences for women’s lives, but their relationship to conflict in Colombia has barely been analysed. Exploring how armed conflict as context shape individual life choices such as family planning, the results showed that women in departments where conflict had occurred recently had significantly higher odds of using modern contraception on average than women in non-conflict. Women are likely more careful to avoid unwanted pregnancy because of increased impoverishment, insecurity, and emotional and physical stress of armed conflict. Conflict may also have reduced or more firmly decided their demand for children. Adding an interaction term between conflict and type of place of residence revealed that rural women in conflict departments were driving this finding, possibly due to the lack of access to abortion and post-abortion care in rural areas in Colombia.

Darbo tikslas - ištirti žinių apie šiuolaikinę kontracepciją poreikį slaugytojams ir akušeriams. Tyrimo metu siekta: įvertinti slaugytojų ir akušerių nuomonės apie kontracepciją ir įrodymais pagrįstos medicinos duomenų skirtumus; išsiaiškinti ir palyginti slaugytojų ir akušerių žinių apie šiuolaikinę kontracepciją panaudojimą praktinėje veikloje; išsiaiškinti slaugytojų ir akušerių nuomonę apie jų svarbą, lytinio švietimo ir informavimo kontracepcijos klausimais, veikloje. Tyrimo hipotezė - akušerių žinios apie šiuolaikines kontraceptines priemones yra geresnės negu slaugytojų. Atliktas vienmomentis kiekybinis tyrimas, taikant apklausos metodą, kurio metu naudota autorės sudaryta nestandartizuota anketa. Apklausoje dalyvavo 220 respondentų (107 akušeriai, 111 slaugytojai ir 2 asmenys nurodė kitą profesiją) dirbančių Kauno miesto sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose ir jų skyriuose, kurie dirba su moterimis ir kuriems gali tekti konsultuoti kontracepcijos klausimu. Duomenims analizuoti naudota statistinė analizė. Atliekant statistinę duomenų analizę analizuoti tik slaugytojų ir akušerių duomenys. Tyrimo rezultatai: vertinant teiginius apie kontracepcijos poveikį slaugytojos įvertino teisingai 3 iš aštuonių, o akušerės 5 iš aštuonių teiginių. 76,4 proc. respondentų atsakė, jog domisi naujovėmis apie kontracepciją. 60,5 proc. respondentų jų nuomone žino kas yra įrodymais pagrįsta medicina/praktika. 69,5 proc. apklaustųjų jaučia poreikį įgyti daugiau žinių kontracepcijos tema... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Research goal – to analyse the need of information about modern contraceptics for nurses and midwives. Study aims were: assess the differences between the opinions of nurses and midwives and the evidence-based actual data about contraceptics; to find and compare the application of information about contraception by the nurses and midwives in working environment; to gauge the significance placed upon them by the nurses and midwives in sex education concerning contraception. Hypothesis – midwives have a higher knowledge base concerning modern contraception than nurses. Public quantitative research has been conducted using a survey method, in which authors’ non-standardised questionnaire has been used. In total, 220 respondents have participated (107 midwives, 111 nurses and 2 people of other profession) from Kaunas city’s health care establishments and their subsidiaries, in which female patients are present or come to and in which some sort of consultation regarding contraception could be done. The data has been analysed with statistical tools. In the data analysis, only the data concerning nurses and midwives has been analysed. Research results: in the evaluation task of presented statements upon contraception, nurses have answered 3 out of 8 correctly; midwives have answered 5 out of 8 correctly. 76,4 per cent of respondents have stated that they show interest into the new modern contraception methods. 60,5 per cent of respondents claim to know what is evidence-based... [to full text]

The aim of the study was to develop strategies to reduce the unmet need for modern contraception among agro-pastoral women. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of unmet need for modern contraception, determine the factors associated with unmet need for modern contraception, and explore the barriers that hindered agro-pastoral women from using modern contraception. A mixed-method research design was used to conduct the study. Data were collected from agro-pastoral women and family planning service providers. Questionnaire and individual in-depth interviews were used to collect the data. The validity and reliability of the quantitative data and trustworthiness of the qualitative data were ensured. Use of standard data collection tools, employing method and data triangulation, and documenting all the procedures of data collection and analysis were among the ways employed to do so The quantitative data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the qualitative data. Ethical principles of research such as beneficence, justice, informed consent, respect for persons, privacy and confidentiality and scientific integrity were considered to conduct the study. The study revealed an unmet need of 29.2% (n=112) for modern contraception among agro-pastoral women. The unmet need for birth spacing constituted 21.1% (n=81), whereas the unmet need for birth limiting was 8.1% (n=31). The age of the women, the number of living children, knowledge of modern contraceptive methods, and knowledge of FP service centres were found to be associated with women‘s unmet need for modern contraception. Lack of time and money, lack of knowledge about modern contraception, and fear of side effects were the major individual-level barriers. There were also culture-related factors such as the need for many children that hindered agro-pastoral women from using modern contraception. Moreover, the study disclosed that religious unacceptability and husband‘s and relatives‘ opposition were also among the mentioned barriers. The quality of FP service provision in terms of the competence and behaviour of health service providers, unavailability and inaccessibility of FP service, were also indicated as barriers. The findings informed the development of strategies to reduce agro-pastoral women‘s unmet needs for modern contraception in Eastern Ethiopia. The study further recommended that the health bureaus of the region, zone and district collaborate in ensuring that agro-pastoral women realise the significance of the provision of accessible, equitable, quality modern contraception. It is also essential to equip health facilities with qualified health service providers and necessary facilities. Religious leaders should be involved in disseminating vital, relevant and empowering FP information. / Health Studies / Ph. D. (Public Health)