Percent of women of reproductive age who have heard about at least three methods of family planning

Percent of women of reproductive age who have heard about at least three methods of family planning

Percent of women of reproductive age who have heard about at least three methods of family planning

Percent of women 15-49 years old who have heard of three or more family planning (FP) methods, modern or traditional

This indicator is calculated as:

(# of women aged 15-49 who have heard  about at least three methods of FP / # of women aged 15-49 interviewed)  x 100

Data Requirement(s):

Age of the woman.  Programs may be interested in knowing the woman’s marital status as well as specifically what methods the woman knows about, especially if the program is interested in promoting a particular method or increasing its use.

The question can be posed by an interviewer asking the respondent which of the methods she has heard of, or it can be asked in a written survey.  The method of questioning will depend on the literacy level of the population of women surveyed.

Population-based survey

Knowledge of methods is related to the acceptability of, and access to, FP. Individuals and couples are more likely to use FP if there are a variety of methods available.  This indicator measures diffusion of knowledge of FP methods, both modern and traditional.  It does not measure behavior change.  Programs may be interested in knowing what methods people have heard about, especially if the program is interested in introducing or promoting a specific method.

This indicator does not measure the respondents’ level of understanding toward various FP methods, use, or attitude toward the methods.  Likewise, the indicator does not ask where a woman may have heard about a specific method, but simply if she has heard of at least three FP methods.

communication, family planning, knowledge

“Flexible Fund Guidance for Grantees: Implementation Plan and Baseline Assessments”. USAID, 2008.

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