Association between socioeconomic factors and unmet need for modern contraception among the young married women: A comparative study across the low- and lower-middle-income countries of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Modern contraceptive methods are effective tools for controlling fertility and reducing unwanted pregnancies. Yet, the unmet need for modern contraception (UNMC) remains high in most of the developing countries of the world. This study aimed to compare the coverage of modern contraceptive usage and the UNMC among the young married women of low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) of Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, and further examined the likelihood of UNMC across these regions. This cross-sectional study used Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data on family planning from 32 LMICs of South Asia (SA), Southeast Asia (SEA), West-Central Africa (WCA), and Eastern-Southern Africa (ESA). Multilevel logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between UNMC and women’s socioeconomic status. Out of 1,00,666 younger married women (15–24 years old), approximately 37% used modern contraceptives, and 24% experienced UNMC. Regionally, women from SA reported higher modern contraceptive usage (44.7%) and higher UNMC (24.6%). Socioeconomic factors like- higher education (in SA and WCA), unemployment (in SA and ESA), no media exposure (in SA and ESA), and higher decision-making autonomy (except SEA) showed positive and significant association with UNMC. Poorest households were positively associated with UNMC in SA and ESA, while negatively associated with UNMC in SEA. UNMC was highly reported among the SA young married women, followed by WCA, SEA, and ESA regions. Based on this study findings, versatile policies, couples counseling campaigns, and community-based outreach initiatives might be undertaken to minimize UNMC among young married women in LMICs.