TY - JOUR
T1 - Fertility, family size preference and contraceptive use in Sub-Saharan Africa
T2 - 1990-2014
AU - Odimegwu, Clifford O.
AU - Akinyemi, Joshua O.
AU - Banjo, Olufunmilayo O.
AU - Olamijuwon, Emmanuel
AU - Amoo, Emmanuel O.
N1 - Funding Information: We appreciate the DHS program for providing access to the data used for this study. This work is based on research supported in part by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant Numbers: 105931) and the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences.
PY - 2018/12/29
Y1 - 2018/12/29
N2 - In view of an unusual transition in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) fertility, periodic re-appraisal is necessary. Using an ecological design, data from Demographic and Health Surveys between 1990 and 2014 were analysed to investigate trends in completed family size (CFS), total fertility rate (TFR), family size preference (FSP), and contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR). The correlates of changes in fertility levels, FSP and CPR were explored. Results showed that CFS declined and was lowest in Southern and Western Africa. However, average CFS for Central African countries appeared virtually the same over the period. Changes in TFR and FSP followed patterns similar to CFS. Western and Central region had very slow increase in CPR with many below 20% as at 2014. Eastern and Southern Africa had faster increase in CPR with some countries achieving almost 60%. Regression results showed that contraceptive prevalence (β= -1.96, p=0.027) and median age at first marriage (β= -0.23, p=0.06) were negatively related to TFR while employment (β= -21.7, p<0.001) was negatively related to FSP. In summary, fertility levels and family size preference declined while contraceptive use improved particularly in Southern and the Eastern Africa. Increased female labour force participation is another potential route to fertility decline in SSA.
AB - In view of an unusual transition in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) fertility, periodic re-appraisal is necessary. Using an ecological design, data from Demographic and Health Surveys between 1990 and 2014 were analysed to investigate trends in completed family size (CFS), total fertility rate (TFR), family size preference (FSP), and contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR). The correlates of changes in fertility levels, FSP and CPR were explored. Results showed that CFS declined and was lowest in Southern and Western Africa. However, average CFS for Central African countries appeared virtually the same over the period. Changes in TFR and FSP followed patterns similar to CFS. Western and Central region had very slow increase in CPR with many below 20% as at 2014. Eastern and Southern Africa had faster increase in CPR with some countries achieving almost 60%. Regression results showed that contraceptive prevalence (β= -1.96, p=0.027) and median age at first marriage (β= -0.23, p=0.06) were negatively related to TFR while employment (β= -21.7, p<0.001) was negatively related to FSP. In summary, fertility levels and family size preference declined while contraceptive use improved particularly in Southern and the Eastern Africa. Increased female labour force participation is another potential route to fertility decline in SSA.
KW - Contraceptive use
KW - Family Size Preference
KW - Fertility behavior
KW - Fertility levels
KW - Sub-Saharan Africa
U2 - 10.29063/ajrh2018/v22i4.5
DO - 10.29063/ajrh2018/v22i4.5
M3 - Article
C2 - 30632721
AN - SCOPUS:85059828806
SN - 1118-4841
VL - 22
SP - 44
EP - 53
JO - African Journal of Reproductive Health
JF - African Journal of Reproductive Health
IS - 4
ER -
