Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

FERTILITY REGULATION5Mika Bwembya and Margaret T. MwanamwengeThis chapter presents the 2001-2002 ZDHS results on contraceptive knowledge, attitudes, andbehaviour. Although the focus is on women, some results from the male survey will also be presentedsince men play an important role in the realisation of reproductive goals. Comparisons are also made,where feasible, with findings from previous surveys in order to evaluate trends occurring in Zambia overthe last decade.5.1 KNOWLEDGE OF CONTRACEPTIVE METHODSAcquiring knowledge about fertility control is an important step toward gaining access to andthen using a suitable contraceptive method in a timely and effective manner. Information on knowledge ofcontraception was collected in two ways. First, respondents were asked to name ways or methods couplescan use to prevent or delay pregnancy. When a respondent failed to mention a particular methodspontaneously, the interviewer described the method and asked whether the respondent knew it. Usingthis approach, information was collected for ten modern family planning methods: female and malesterilisation, the pill, the IUD, injectables, implants, male and female condoms, vaginal methods(including foam tablets/diaphragm/jelly), and emergency contraception. Information was also collected onthree traditional methods: the lactational amenorrhoea method (LAM), 1 rhythm or natural familyplanning, and withdrawal. Provision was also made in the questionnaire to record any other methodsnamed spontaneously by respondents. Both prompted and unprompted knowledge are combined in thisreport.Tables 5.1.1 and 5.1.2 show the level of knowledge of contraceptive methods among all womenand men, currently married women and men, sexually active unmarried women and men, sexuallyinactive unmarried women and men, and for women and men with no sexual experience, by specificmethod.The data show that knowledge of any contraceptive method is almost universal in Zambia, with98 percent of all women and men knowing at least one method of contraception. Modern methods aremore widely known than traditional methods. The data show that 98 percent of all women know of amodern method, compared with 72 percent who know of a traditional one. Among modern methods, themale condom is the most commonly known (94 percent) closely followed by the pill (93 percent).Emergency contraception is the least known, reported by 9 percent of all women. Among the traditionalmethods, withdrawal is the most commonly known (56 percent).Currently married women show a somewhat similar picture, especially regarding level ofknowledge. Among currently married women, 99 percent know at least one method of contraception,99 percent know a modern method, and 83 percent know a traditional method. Among modern methods,the most commonly known are the pill and the male condom (96 percent each).1Although LAM is considered a modern method of family planning, analysis of the ZDHS data indicates that manywomen confused it with simple breastfeeding so, rather than present misleading data, it was decided to classifyLAM as traditional.Fertility Regulation │ 69