Trends and Drivers of Unmet Need for Family Planning in Currently Married Tanzanian Women between 1999 and 2016

Abdon Gregory Rwabilimbo, Kedir Y. Ahmed, Jackline Boniphace Mshokela, Amit Arora (), Felix Akpojene Ogbo and on behalf of the Global Maternal and Child Health Research Collaboration (GloMACH)
Additional contact information
Abdon Gregory Rwabilimbo: Ifakara Health Institute, Dar Es Salaam 14112, Tanzania
Kedir Y. Ahmed: Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia
Jackline Boniphace Mshokela: Medical Team International, 4th Floor Plot No.96. Mikocheni Light Industrial Area, New Bagamoyo Road, Dar Es Salaam 14112, Tanzania
Amit Arora: Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 1797, Australia
Felix Akpojene Ogbo: Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 1797, Australia
on behalf of the Global Maternal and Child Health Research Collaboration (GloMACH): Members of GloMACH are provided in the acknowledgements.

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: The current study investigated the trends and factors associated with the unmet need for family planning (FP) for limiting and spacing births among married Tanzanian women between 1999 and 2016. The study used Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) data for the years 1999 ( N = 2653), 2004–2005 ( N = 2950), 2010 ( N = 6412), and 2015–2016 ( N = 8210). Trends in the unmet need for FP were estimated over the study period. Multivariable multinomial logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between community-level, predisposing, enabling, and need factors with the unmet need for FP in Tanzania. The results showed no significant change in percentage of married women with an unmet need for birth spacing between 1999 and 2016. The proportion of married women with an unmet need for limiting births decreased from 9.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.9%, 10.6%) in 1999 to 6.6% (95% CI: 5.9%, 7.3%) in 2016. Residing in a rural area, parity between 1–4 and 5+, visiting a health facility for any health services within twelve months, and planning to have more children (after two years and/or undecided) were factors positively associated with the unmet need for FP-spacing. Women with parity of 5+ were more likely to experience an unmet need for FP-limiting. Women’s age between 25–34 and 35–49 years, women’s employment status, watching television, women’s autonomy of not being involved in household decisions, and planning to have more children were factors associated with lower odds of having an unmet need for FP-spacing. Women’s age between 25–34 years, watching television, autonomy, and planning to have more children were factors with lower odds of having an unmet need for FP-limiting. Improving FP uptake among married Tanzanian women can reduce the unmet need for FP. Therefore, reducing unmet needs for FP is attainable if government policies and interventions can target women residing in rural areas and other modifiable risk factors, such as parity, health facility visits, planning to having more children, employment, watching television, and women’s autonomy.

Keywords: trends; drivers; unmet need; family planning; married; women; Tanzania; demographics and health survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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