What do you think are the reasons of high unmet need of FP in the Philippines?
The unmet need for family planning among married women of reproductive age in the Philippines was 17% in 2017 and 49% among unmarried sexually active women (PSA, 2018). This high unment need of family planning in the Philippines may be caused by:
- Conservative Values - The strong influence of conservative religious beliefs hinders the utilization and/or continuation of family planning. According to Nagai, et al (2019), In the Philippines, staff report that providers who are members of the church often face pressure not to distribute contraception and sometimes pressure from anti-reproductive health groups.
- Misinformation or Lack of Information regarding the Family Planning methods - Fears about the side-effects of family planning from misinformation or self-experience greatly affects the decision-making of individuals with regards to the utilization and/or continuation of family planning (Diamond-Smith, 2012)
What are ways you can suggest to increase the practice of FP in the country? Give at least 1-2 suggestions.
- Health teaching regarding responsible parenthood and reproductive health - Actively providing information regarding the family planning methods not only promotes awareness but also encourages individuals to subscribe to a family planning method.
- Comprehensive reproductive health education in schools - By educating individuals who are in their reproductive years early on, they are able to make informed decisions with regard to their reproductive health.
- Using the Media to Break Taboos - Through utilizing mass media, more populations are reached thus, increasing access to the information about family planning and available services (Clifton, 2010)
References:
Clifton, D. (2010, May). Expanding access to family planning. PRB. Retrieved June 22, 2022, from https://www.prb.org/resources/expanding-access-to-family-planning/
Diamond-Smith, N. (2012, March 5). Misinformation and fear of side-effects of family planning. Culture, health & sexuality. Retrieved June 22, 2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22390371/
Nagai, M., Bellizzi, S., Murray, J., Kitong, J., Cabral, E. I., & Sobel, H. L. (2019). Opportunities lost: Barriers to increasing the use of effective contraception in the Philippines. PLOS ONE, 14(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218187
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and ICF. 2018. Philippines National Demographic and Health Survey 2017: Key Indicators. Quezon City, Philippines, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: PSA and ICF.