Family planning is a means to control and decide the size of the family and spacing of children by using different methods. Addressing family health issues in the church allows the church to meet the needs of its members holistically. In Ethiopia the prevalence of family planning has 34% increase within the past 14 years.
Church based cross-sectional study conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning among married evangelical women in selected evangelical churches and the views of the church leaders in Gulele sub-city, Addis Ababa with the objectives to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning among evangelical married women and to understand/ describe the influence of the church doctrine/ teachings on marriage in shaping the views and usage of family planning services by the members.
All of the married women are aware of family planning, the majority, that is, 64 (39.0%) responded they do not know what the Bible says about family planning, 109 (66.5%) answered that using contraceptives is not sin whereas51 (31.1%) affirmed its sinfulness.
127 (77.4%) replied health related issues like family planning must be included in the church. Out of the 164 respondents only 117 (71.3%) have ever used family planning methods.
The different denominations in the study show more of a similar attitude towards family planning regardless of some doctrinal differences among them. All of the leaders agree on the need of planning in order to keep the wellbeing of the family.
Family issues like family health are not as such given due attention in the six evangelical denominations. There is an overall awareness and positive attitude of family planning by the married women and the church leaders. However, the perception of the leaders about contraceptives is rather shallow.
Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Background and Statement of the problem
1.2. Rationale of the Study
1.3. Objectives of the study
1.3.1. General Objective of the study
1.3.2. Specific Objectives
2. Review of Literature
2.1. Religion and Family Planning
2.2. The Ethiopian Evangelical churches
2.2.1. Protestantism in Ethiopia
2.3. The Involvement of the Church in Family Planning Activities
3. Methodology
3.1. Study area
3.2. Study Design
3.3. Source Population
3.4. Study population
3.5. Inclusion criteria
3.6. Exclusion criteria
3.7. Sampling
3.7.1. Sample size determination
3.7.2 Sampling procedure
3.8. Data collection procedure
3.9. Variables of the study
3.9.1. Dependent (outcome) variables
3.9.2. Independent (Explanatory) Variables
3.10. Data Analysis
3.11. Ethical Consideration
4. Research Results, Findings and Discussion
4.1. Quantitative Data Result
4.1.1. Socio demographic information of the participants April, 2015. (n=164)
4.1.2. Results of the assessment of the knowledge of married evangelical women about family planning
4.1.3. Results of the assessment of the attitude of married evangelical women towards family planning
4.1.4. Results of the assessment of family planning practice of married evangelical women
4.2. Qualitative Data Result
4.2.1. General background of the church leaders interviewed
4.2.2. Church’s attitude towards family planning
4.2.3. Biblical and church teachings
4.3. Discussion
4.3.1. Knowledge about family planning
4.3.2. Practice of Family Planning
4.4. Strength and Limitation of the Study
4.4.1. Strength of the Study
4.4.2. Limitation of the study
5. Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1. Conclusion
5.2. Recommendation
Objectives and Research Themes
This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of family planning among married evangelical women in selected churches in Addis Ababa, while simultaneously exploring the influence of church doctrines and teachings on members' views and usage of these services.
- Assessment of contraceptive knowledge and practice among married evangelical women.
- Evaluation of the attitudes of evangelical church leaders towards family planning.
- Examination of the impact of biblical interpretations and church teachings on reproductive health decisions.
- Identification of gaps in current church-based health education and counseling.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. Background and Statement of the problem
So far, various studies have been carried out concerning family planning both worldwide and locally. Globally of the 6.96 billion people, it is estimated that only 900 million women and their partners practice family planning. It is believed that “contraceptive use and unmet need for family planning are keys to understanding profound changes in fertility and to improving reproductive health worldwide.”
The unmet need of contraception is high in sub-Saharan Africa and in Ethiopia. The economic status of women is an important factor, that is, poor women reported an unmet need of 32 percent compared to 15 percent among wealthy women.
In Ethiopia, most women living in urban or city like Addis Ababa are more familiar with family planning and the prevalence of married women has increased from 6 percent in 2000 to 40 percent in 2014. This increment of 34% in 14 years is a good progress but a lot of work still needs to be done to increase this number to a significantly higher level.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Provides an overview of reproductive health as a global concern and establishes the importance of church involvement in addressing family planning for holistic health.
2. Review of Literature: Explores historical perspectives on fertility control, the evolution of modern family planning, and the diverse theological stances held by various Christian denominations.
3. Methodology: Details the cross-sectional, mixed-method research design, including study population selection within Gulele sub-city churches, sampling techniques, and data collection procedures.
4. Research Results, Findings and Discussion: Presents the quantitative data on participant demographics and their knowledge/practices, alongside qualitative interview findings with church leaders regarding theological attitudes.
5. Conclusion and Recommendation: Summarizes the study's findings, highlighting the gap in church-based education, and suggests policy-based improvements and increased training for both leaders and members.
Key Words
Family Planning, Contraception, Evangelical Churches, Reproductive Health, Addis Ababa, Church Leaders, Maternal Mortality, Fertility, Christian Ethics, Holistic Health, Religious Doctrine, Married Women, Contraceptive Knowledge, Unmet Need, Church Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This research focuses on assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practices of married women in evangelical churches in Addis Ababa regarding family planning and how religious perspectives shape these factors.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study spans public health, reproductive health, theology, and sociology, specifically looking at how church denominations influence health-related decision-making for women.
What is the primary objective of this thesis?
The primary objective is to evaluate the family planning awareness of married evangelical women and the leadership's stance, in order to identify how churches can better support the holistic health of their congregants.
Which scientific methods were applied in the study?
The study employed a cross-sectional mixed-methods approach, utilizing both quantitative surveys for statistical analysis of women's practices and qualitative in-depth interviews with church leaders.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body covers a literature review on religion and contraception, details of the research design, data analysis from surveys and interviews, and a discussion on the role of the church in reproductive health.
Which keywords characterize this publication?
Key terms include Family Planning, Evangelical Churches, Reproductive Health, Addis Ababa, and Religious Doctrine.
Do the participating churches have a written policy on family planning?
The study found that none of the selected churches have a formal written policy, though most leaders generally accept family planning as a matter of personal conscience.
How do church leaders view the relationship between the Bible and family planning?
Most leaders interviewed stated that the Bible does not explicitly prohibit or support family planning, often emphasizing that individuals should use their God-given conscience to make responsible decisions regarding their family size.
- Quote paper
- Betelihem Asrat (Author), 2015, Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Family Planning among Married Evangelical Women in six Evangelical Churches in Gulele Sub city, Addis Ababa, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/448201
