One of the major goals of family planning programs worldwide has been to reduce the level of fertility in hopes of slowing the rate of natural increase and promoting social and economic development. Such programs have officially been in existence in Nigeria since 1988. The major goal of the programs is to increase knowledge and use of contraception. This study examined the attitudes of the citizens with special reference to the southeastern and southwestern regions of Nigeria towards family planning programs, to determine the extent of the programs' success. In conducting this research, 406 households were surveyed, in which either spouse (male or female) was interviewed. The survey was conducted in seven states in Nigeria. Using inferential statistics, the finding of this study indicated that although knowledge of contraception has increased for both rural and urban areas, current use of contraception has not followed in the same direction, mainly due to "want for another child" and preference for male children. This study showed that the family planning program Nigeria needs to be pursued more vigorously to ensure compliance with rules and regulations. Continuous amendment and periodic evaluation may be necessary to ensure effectiveness and success. This study would provide additional information to the body of literature already in the field.

The issue of women's reproductive rights has become an international concern in the recent decade. Ongoing debates on women's reproductive rights in world conferences and conventions have heightened the need for empirical research and theoretical explanations of women's reproductive rights Nevertheless, very few sociological studies have treated women's reproductive rights as a dependent variable. This study examines the effects of family planning programs and the processes of modernization on women's reproductive rights. Several facets of modernization; processes of socioeconomic development, secularization, women's education, and levels of gender equality are considered. The study involves 101 countries identified by the World Bank (1994) as developing countries. It is argued, on the one hand, that variations in women's reproductive rights in developing nations may be explained by the social changes brought about by modernization processes. On other hand, the universality of the anti-natalistic population policies in developing countries in the late 20th century provides a strong state control over fertility rate, which may contribute to the attainment of women's reproductive rights. Using linear structural equation analysis, the study finds that fertility decline due to family planning programs leads to the achievement of women's reproductive rights. The empirical findings support the hypothesis that socioeconomic development has a positive effect on women's education, and that there is no statistically significant relationship between modernization and gender equality. The results of the study, meanwhile, indicate that, in developing societies, women's education is negatively related to women's reproductive rights. The study suggests: first, family planning programs as a social policy in developing countries influence fertility decline, and enhance women's reproductive rights; second, gender equality in society is an important factor that increases the level of reproductive rights for women in developing countries; and finally, the finding that women's education reduces the attainment of reproductive rights may imply the need to develop valid scales for measuring reproductive rights. The findings of this study contribute toward the development of a structural model of reproductive rights.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T13:47:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERATACAO PRONTA PARA IMPRESSAO.pdf: 418566 bytes, checksum: 5818bd7ce20758d1ffa3c2e8e3edfb2e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-06-06 / O abortamento induzido é considerado problema de saúde pública em todo o mundo. Dallari (2005) reflete que toda a sociedade e, em particular, aqueles que trabalham com a saúde do povo devem discutir em busca do consenso possível sobre a prática do abortamento, a fim encontrar a melhor maneira para lidar com o problema. Os objetivos do estudo foram identificar o perfil sociodemográfico e reprodutivo das mulheres internadas em uma maternidade do município da Serra, Espírito Santo, e avaliar a ocorrência de abortamento induzido associado aos aspectos sociodemográficos e reprodutivos da mesma população. É um estudo transversal, com uma abordagem quantitativa. A amostra constituiu-se de três grupos distintos: 21 mulheres que realizaram abortamento induzido, 62 que apresentaram abortamento espontâneo e 83 que tiveram gestação a termo internadas na Maternidade de Carapina, no período de agosto de 2005 a janeiro de 2006. Para a coleta de dados, foi utilizada entrevista com registro em formulário. Os dados foram analisados pelo Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), versão 14.0. Os resultados encontrados demonstram que maioria das pacientes apresentou idade entre 20 e 24 anos, cor da pele parda, anos de estudo de oito a onze anos, renda familiar de até três salários mínimos, religião evangélica, estado conjugal casada/em união estável, ocupação dona de casa, idade da menarca entre nove e doze anos, coitarca e primeira gestação na adolescência, média de 1,2 filho vivo e desconhecimento sobre o Programa de Planejamento Familiar do município. Os seguintes fatores influenciaram na ocorrência de abortamento induzido na análise bivariada: não ser casada ou não viver em união estável, exercer alguma ocupação fora do lar, não conhecer o Programa de Planejamento Familiar do município, não planejar e não desejar a gestação e ter sido aconselhada a abortar. Na análise multivariada, a variável identificação (abortamento induzido/gestação a termo) apresentou relação causal apenas com duas variáveis: estado conjugal e desejo da gravidez. Para atenuar o problema do abortamento inseguro, o governo e a sociedade devem investir em melhores condições de vida para a população e na promoção da saúde reprodutiva com incentivo ao acesso à educação sexual e reprodutiva e ao planejamento familiar. / The induced miscarriage is considered a public health problem all over the world. Dallari (2005) reflects about all society and, especially those who work with people s health who must discuss searching for a possible consensus about the miscarriage practice, aiming to find the best way to deal with the problem. The studies goals were to identify the sociodemographic and reproductive profile of women interned in a maternity in the district of Serra, Espírito Santo State, and to evaluate the frequency of induced miscarriages associated to sociodemographic and reproductive aspects of the same population mentioned above. It is a transversal study, with a quantitative approach. The sample is constituted of three different groups: 21 women who had had an induced miscarriage, 62 who had had spontaneous miscarriage and 83 who had gestation of term interned in Carapina maternity, from August 2005 up to January 2006. For data collection an interview with registration in form was made. Data were analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 14.0. The results found indicated that most of the cases happened with women aged between 20 to 24 years old, brown skinned, from eight to eleven studying years, having up to three minimum wages familiar income, evangelic religion, married/ stable union, housewife, menarche age between nine and twelve years old, coitarca and first gestation during the adolescence period, having the average of 1,2 live child and showing unawareness about the Family Planning Program in the district. The following factors influenced in the occurrence of the induced miscarriage: not being married or living a stable union, having a job out of home, not being aware of the Family Planning Program of the district, not planning and not wanting the gestation and being advised to abort. In the multivariate analyses, the variable identification (induced miscarriage/ gestation of term) presented casual relation only with two variables: marital status and the desire of getting pregnant. To minimize the insecure miscarriage problem, the government and the society should invest in better qualities of life for the population and in the promotion of the reproductive health with an incentive for the access to sexual and reproductive education and to family planning.

Thesis (M.A. (Population and Reproductive Health Research))--Mahidol University, 2003.