Community-based factors affecting contraceptive use patterns and discontinuation over the female reproductive life span: a preliminary anthropological assessment

Abstract

This paper’s thrust is to identify community variables influencing acceptance, continuation and discontinuation of contraceptive use. Anthropological methods were carried out in the Southern (i.e., Trang province) and Northeastern (i.e., Surin province) regions of Thailand from June 1987-April 1988. Four research villages were selected for study, with two being located in each province. The main general finding derived from this study is that community-based factors affecting contraceptive discontinuation must be examined diachronically. Specifically, change occur as a women passes through three key stages of her reproductive life span, i.e., Stage 1 – Pre-Childbearing; Stage 2 – Childbearing and Childrearing; Stage 3 – Family Size Achievement. The mechanisms involve community norms and beliefs which come into differential play through separate types of community social networks. These are activated as information on contraception is sought. The most common social network forms are intimate, effective and extended network, but their degree of influence differs between regions.