TY - JOUR
T1 - Cultural factors constraining the introduction of family planning among the Kassena-Nankana of Northern Ghana
AU - Adongo, Philip B.
AU - Phillips, James F.
AU - Kajihara, Beverly
AU - Fayorsey, Clara
AU - Debpuur, Cornelius
AU - Binka, Fred N.
PY - 1997/12
Y1 - 1997/12
N2 - This study presents a focus group investigation of reasons why women in a rural, Sahelian community are reluctant to adopt family planning even when convenient services are made freely available. First, women opting to practice contraception must do so at considerable risk of social ostracism or familial conflict. Implementing individual preference is something that must be done without the support of others. Second, few women view personal decisions about contraceptives as theirs to make. Women and children are the property of the corporate family-kin and community militate against reproductive control. Third, although children are highly valued for a variety of economic, social, and cultural reasons, mortality risks remain extremely high. Low fertility imposes the unacceptable risk that a woman will have no surviving children at the end of her reproductive life. Taken together, these findings attest to the inadequacy of service strategies focused on the contribution of distribution, individual agency, or personal choice. Outreach should also build a sense of community legitimacy for the program, collective health action, and traditional leadership support for family planning behavior.
AB - This study presents a focus group investigation of reasons why women in a rural, Sahelian community are reluctant to adopt family planning even when convenient services are made freely available. First, women opting to practice contraception must do so at considerable risk of social ostracism or familial conflict. Implementing individual preference is something that must be done without the support of others. Second, few women view personal decisions about contraceptives as theirs to make. Women and children are the property of the corporate family-kin and community militate against reproductive control. Third, although children are highly valued for a variety of economic, social, and cultural reasons, mortality risks remain extremely high. Low fertility imposes the unacceptable risk that a woman will have no surviving children at the end of her reproductive life. Taken together, these findings attest to the inadequacy of service strategies focused on the contribution of distribution, individual agency, or personal choice. Outreach should also build a sense of community legitimacy for the program, collective health action, and traditional leadership support for family planning behavior.
KW - Barriers to contraceptive use
KW - Contraception
KW - Family planning
KW - Fertility
KW - Ghana
KW - Traditional reproductive motives
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030733956&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0277-9536(97)00110-X
DO - 10.1016/S0277-9536(97)00110-X
M3 - Article
C2 - 9447629
AN - SCOPUS:0030733956
SN - 0277-9536
VL - 45
SP - 1789
EP - 1804
JO - Social Science and Medicine
JF - Social Science and Medicine
IS - 12
ER -