The Relationship of Social Affiliation and Interpersonal Discussion to Family Planning Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice

Abstract

Data from the 1994 Kenya Situation Survey was used to examine the association between club membership interpersonal communication about family planning and contraceptive knowledge attitudes and practice. Samples were composed of 2217 women aged 15-49 and 2152 men aged 15-54. Results showed that after controlling for demographic variables the association between club membership and knowledge of modern methods strengthened among women (odds ratio of 2.0 to one of 2.3). Among men controlling for individual characteristics weakened the association between membership and knowledge (odds ratio of 1.84 to one of 1.47). Women club members were 2.3 times as likely as nonmembers to know about modern methods of family planning; male club members were 1.5 times as likely as nonmembers to know about modern contraceptives and 1.7 times as likely as nonmembers to approve family planning. Club membership was indirectly associated with increased use of contraceptives. Additionally club members showed significantly greater odds of having family planning discussions with members of their core and extended social networks. Thus social clubs in their promotion of informal discussions about family planning within a group comprising a diverse membership were seen to play a mediating role in the diffusion of new information and innovative behaviors.