Keywords: contraception; urban health; rural health; family planning
Background:
According to literature, cultural and sociodemographic characteristics influence knowledge, attitudes and beliefs while choosing contraceptive methods. Choice of method should be free, individual and informed. The Family Doctor, as the proximity doctor, can support decisions through informed dialogue considering individual circumstances.
Aim of the study:
Characterize contraceptive knowledge and preferences among childbearing age women in an urban and a rural Family Health Unit (FHU) and understand whether unit location can be a factor in the use of long-term methods.
Methodology:
Retrospective, observational and descriptive study in two FHU (rural “R” and urban “U”) focused on women between 18 and 50 years old using a contraceptive method. A questionnaire was applied to collect sociodemographic information, use of contraception and factors influencing it. Microsoft Excel® and R were used for descriptive and exploratory statistical analyzes.
Results:
The final sample consisted of 211 women, 91% of which sexually active. Regarding sociodemographic data, there were only significant differences between the FHU in education (p<0.001). Regarding the use of contraception, the majority used short-term methods, with non-significant differences between urban (69%) and rural areas (79%). Significant differences were observed between the FHU (p<0.005) in the number of known contraceptive methods (U- 7.7; R- 6.1). There was a significant reduction of 60% in the use of long-term methods in the rural FHU when compared to the urban one, even when adjusted for age group and education. Older women and women with lower education are more likely to use long-acting contraception.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrated the impact of FHU location on the knowledge and choice of contraceptive methods. Data showed that women in urban areas are more likely to use long-term methods. These results reinforce the importance of adoption of guidelines to mitigate differences between professionals and to promote information for equitable decision-making.
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