Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Prevalence and determinants of contraceptive utilization among ma rried women at Dabat 
Health and Demographic Surveillance System Site, northwest Ethiopia  
 
Version: 0 Date: 18 Oct 2017  
 
Reviewer: Mengistu Meskele  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Reviewer's Comment  
Reviewer: Mengistu Meskele  
 Title:  Prevalence and determinants of contraceptive utilization among women at Dabat Health 
and  Demographic Surveillance System Site, northwest Ethiopia  
 
General Comments  
This research in general and family planning in particular for country like Ethiop ia with high 
maternal, child and infant mortality, low family planning utilization with high population 
pressure is paramount important.  
Language: Well written  
Importance of the study finding: Very important  
Abstract: is more than 350 words, please redu ce it to 350 or lower.  
The word 'kebele' should be replaced to ''districts'' from all the text.  
Percentage should be written along with total numbers.  
Very important predictors variables for FP utilization should have included but missed in your 
logistic regression analysis. For example, desired number of children a woman wants to have, 
myths and misconceptions, size of household, religion opposition, etc. If you able to find these 
variables, please incorporate in your analysis?  
Inconsistent use of variab le like 'education'     illiterate in the first table, unable to read and write 
in the second table. Be consistent, I prefer the second option.  
In the Availability of data: All relevant data are within the manuscript? What does it mean?????  
 
Specific comme nts  
Title: Accepted as it is.  
 
Abstracts:   
Reduce the word in to 350 or lower  
Background: Background is vast. Reduce some sentences from line 42 -45.  
Line 60. Correct 'Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify predictors of 
contracept ive…' in to. Binary and multivariable logistic regression along with odds ratio & 
95%CI…….  
 
Background  
Line 29. Old DHS 2014 figures was used while the recent DHS 2016 results are available.   "The 
2014 Ethiopian Mini -demographic and health survey report sh owed that the coverage for all 
types and long term methods of contraceptive utilization was 42%, and 6.11% respectively (8)".  
Line 24 size of house hold was mentioned in the variables list, though, it was not included in 
analysis??    
Line 38 -41. Descript ive analysis, including proportions, medians, and Inter Quartile Ranges  
(IQR) were performed.  I haven't seen the results of medians, and Inter Quartile Ranges  
(IQR). Please if you have no result remove this.  
Line 50 -56. in multivariable binary logistic regression to control confounding factors and to get 
less biased estimates.  Finally, results were reported as statistically significant whenever p -values 
were less than 0.05. In this analysis time, did you use 'enter'  or 'backward or forward 
LR;STEPWISE method> please explain in your text?  
Line 29. Majority of the respondents (81.34%) use… Please put numbers beside percentage 
N(83.34%).Do it for all the rest???  
 
Discussion  
Well written. What is the difference between illiterate and no education? You used  these terms in 
your documents??? Be consistent?  
EDHS 2014 reports was used for discussion while EDHS 2016 are available???  
 
Limitation  
In this study, as  a  potential  limitation,  some  variables  may  be  missed  that  could  affect  the  
utilization of modern contraceptives utilization. How the missed variables affected utilization of 
FP? Rather potential variables that could have associated with the utilization of FP were not 
included??? Please correct the sentences?  
 
References  
Some refe rences are not as of the journal style. E.g.  reference #7  
 
My conclusion  
If the authors incorporate the above comments and this research get published, it is very relevant 
and helpful for policy makers and implementers.  
Regards!   
Are the methods appropriate and w ell described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adeq uately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommen ded, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publ ication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you cur rently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have an y other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please  give details below.  
 
No competing interest  
 
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