An Exploratory Study on the Perspectives And Practices of Contraceptive Use Among Married Females of Reproductive Age Group (15-49 Years) of Selected Urban Areas Of Dist. Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)
Authors: - Heena Verma , - Gunjali Singh , - Ankit Sharma 
Published: May 2023

“AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON THE PERSPECTIVES AND PRACTICES OF CONTRACEPTIVE USE AMONG MARRIED FEMALES OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP (15-49 YEARS) OF SELECTED URBAN AREAS OF DIST. SHIMLA (HIMACHAL PRADESH)”
1Heena Verma, 2Gunjali Singh, 3Ankit Sharma
1Community Health Nursing Department, 2Mental Health Nursing Department, 3Mental Health Nursing Department

ABSTRACT
Contraception is a process or technique for preventing pregnancy by means of medication, device or method that blocks or alters one or more of the processes of reproduction in such a way that sexual union can occur without impregnation.
Objectives: To assess the perspectives of contraceptive use among married females of selected urban areas of Dist. Shimla (H.P), To identify the contraceptive practices among married females of selected urban areas of Dist. Shimla (H.P), To associate the perspectives and practices of contraceptive use with the selected socio demographic variables of married females.
Method: The study has adopted quantitative research approach and exploratory research design. Total 238 samples were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria through multistage cluster sampling technique. Data was collected in terms of socio demographic profile of the married females, semi structured questionnaire and Likert scale was used to assess the perspectives of contraceptives use, semi structured checklist was used to assess the practices of contraceptives among married females.
Results: Major findings of the study revealed that most of the married females i.e. 47% were between the age group of 20-29 years, 72% belonged to Hindu religion, 47% were graduate or above, 32% were self-employed, 58% were having duration of marriage between 1-10 years, 85% were living with spouse and children, 64% were having 1 child, 39% had monthly family income Rs. between 20001-30000, 66% married females were living in nuclear family, 91% married females had television as the source of information and contraceptive method used was condom in 71% married females. In the present study, the perspectives of married females in terms of awareness showed that 35% of females were having good awareness, 50% were having average awareness and 15% were having poor awareness. In terms of opinion, 30% of married females were having positive opinion, 70% were having neutral opinion and none of them was having negative opinion regarding contraceptive use. Majority 65% of married females having average practices of contraceptives, only 31% of females were having poor practices and the rest 4% were having good practices. Mean and standard deviation for perspectives of contraceptive use in relation to awareness and opinion was 14.66 ± 3.98, 72.16 ± 8.24.
Mean and standard deviation for practices of contraceptives were 7.71 ± 2.42. There was significant association of age, education, occupation, duration of marriage, living status, monthly family income, type of family, source of information and contraceptive method used with perspectives of contraceptive use at p<0.05 level of significance.