Author(s)

Abel Lule Tessema¹, Mekionnen Ayichiluhm Bishaw¹, Tsion Samuel Bunare²

¹GAMBY College of Medical Sciences, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
²Felege Hywot Referal Hospitl, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.

The study was conducted to assess the magnitude and associated factors of unmet need for family planning among women of reproductive age group with disabilities who are members of disabled associations in Bahir Dar town. Institution based cross-sectional study was carried out. A total of 337 women of reproductive age group with disabilities were included in the study with simple random sampling. Data were collected through face-to-face interview, coded, cleaned and entered by Epi info 2002 and analyzed with SPSS version 16 computer software. Logistic regression was used to assess possible associations. The magnitude of unmet need for family planning among women with disabilities was 24.3%. Women with disabilities in the age group of 25-29 had 80% less likely to have unmet need than women above 35 years old. Women with disability who have no education were 11 times more likely to have unmet need than those who have secondary education. Women who desire to have more than 3 children have more likely to have unmet need than those who need to have 1-2 children. Unmet need for family planning among women with disabilities was high in Bahir Dar town. Age, Educational status and desired number of children were found to have statistically significant association with unmet need for family planning. Hence, it is important to encourage people with disabilities to attained formal education and the associations should provide short term trainings in accordance with their age group.

Women with Disability, Unmet Need for Family Planning, Bahir Dar City

Tessema, A. , Bishaw, M. and Bunare, T. (2015) Assessment of the Magnitude and Associated Factors of Unmet Need for Family Planning among Women of Reproductive Age Group with Disabilities in Bahir Dar City, Amhara Region, North West Ethiopia. Open Journal of Epidemiology, 5, 51-58. doi: 10.4236/ojepi.2015.51007.