Demographic and Health Survey 2009-10 - Timor-Leste Ministry of ...

60 | Family Planning
5.1 KNOWLEDGE OF CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS
Knowledge of contraceptive methods is an important precursor to use. The ability to
spontaneously name or recognize a family planning method when described is a simple test of a
respondent’s familiarity with a method but is not necessarily an indication of the comprehensiveness
of their knowledge. Information on knowledge of contraception was collected by first asking a
respondent to name ways or methods by which a couple could delay or avoid pregnancy. If the
respondent failed to mention a particular method spontaneously, the interviewer described the method
and asked whether the respondent recognized it. The survey collected information on eleven modern
family planning methods—female and male sterilization, the pill, the IUD, injectables, implants,
female and male condoms, lactational amenorrhea method (LAM), emergency contraception, the
standard days method, and two traditional methods—rhythm method and withdrawal. Folk methods,
such as use of plants and herbs, could be mentioned spontaneously by respondents.
In Table 5.1, information about knowledge of specific contraceptive methods is presented for
all women and men as well as for currently married women and men and for sexually active
unmarried men. Findings from the 2009-10 TLDHS show that 78 percent of currently married women
and 66 percent of currently married men in Timor-Leste know of at least one modern method of
family planning. The most widely known modern contraceptive methods among currently married
women are injectables (70 percent) and the pill (58 percent). Currently married men are most likely to
know of the male condom (54 percent) and injectables (46 percent). Twenty-seven percent of
currently married men mentioned knowledge of a traditional method compared with 22 percent of
currently married women. Sexually active unmarried men are most knowledgeable about the male
condom (90 percent) followed by injectables (55 percent). The pattern of knowledge for all women
and men is similar to that described for currently married women and men. The mean number of
methods known is slightly higher among married women (3.3) than among married men (3.0).
Table 5.1 Knowledge of contraceptive methods
Percentage of all respondents, currently married respondents, and sexually active unmarried respondents age 15-49
who know any contraceptive method, by specific method, Timor-Leste 2009-10
Method
All women
Women Men
Currently
married women All men
Currently
married men
Sexually active
unmarried
men 1
Any method 71.4 78.1 66.4 66.6 92.8
Any modern method 71.1 77.7 66.1 66.4 92.1
Female sterilization 20.0 23.9 21.2 26.8 31.7
Male sterilization 4.0 4.8 8.7 11.3 13.6
Pill 50.1 57.6 33.1 40.3 47.7
IUD 28.1 35.9 15.7 20.6 21.3
Injectables 61.2 70.3 36.0 45.5 55.3
Implants 31.5 40.0 19.3 25.3 35.4
Male condom 27.7 26.2 58.0 53.7 90.4
Female condom 10.4 10.1 10.4 11.1 15.3
Lactational amenorrhea (LAM) 7.0 9.5 4.8 7.1 0.4
Emergency contraception 3.2 4.0 3.7 5.2 2.2
Standard days method 13.2 16.8 9.8 14.6 6.8
Any traditional method 16.9 21.7 23.1 27.4 54.9
Rhythm 13.2 17.0 8.3 12.5 6.1
Withdrawal 7.7 10.2 19.4 21.7 54.6
Folk method
Mean number of methods
2.7 3.8 3.3 5.1 0.0
known by respondents 15-49 2.8 3.3 2.5 3.0 3.8
Number of respondents 13,137 7,906 4,076 2,158 215
Note: There are too few sexually active unmarried women to analyze their knowledge separately.
1 Had last sexual intercourse within 30 days preceding the survey