摘要：Background : Inadequate family planning services exist in Ethiopia, where total fertility and population growth rates are markedly high. Objective : This study is aimed at assessing family planning coverage and the main factors that are associated with the usage of contraceptives among women in the 15-49 years age group. Methods : A cross sectional community based study was conducted in April 2004 in Dembia District, northwest Ethiopia. Using the multistage sampling technique, a total of 1340 women in one urban and three rural kebeles were selected for the study. A questionnaire interview was also used for data collection. Result : It was found that 392 (71.3%) respondents from the urban kebele and 354 (44.8%) in the rural kebeles of the district had information about family planning. Three hundred and nine women (23.1%) had ever used modern family planning methods. The current CPR in the district was found to be 12.3 % (22.5% in the urban kebele and 5.2% in the rural kebeles) and most women (64.2%) used injectable contraceptives. A total of 144 (46.6%) women who had ever used contraceptives have discontinued taking contraceptives. Of those women who had never used contraceptives, 728 (70.5%) said they did not want to take contraceptives in the future. Residence, distance from health institutions, age of the women, education of the woman and the husband, as well as occupation, and religion were found to be significantly associated with the usage of contraceptives. Conclusion : CPR is low in the district, especially in rural areas. Strategies like out reach programs and the training of Community based reproductive health agents (CBRHAs) needs to be considered to increase the coverage of family planning services in the area. The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development Vol. 20(1) 2006: 32-38
