Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation
Abstract
Background: Although the majority of women of child-bearing age utilize a modern contraceptive method, there is a significant gap in family planning highlighted by 164 million women having an unmet contraceptive need. The unmet need for contraception is attributed to multiple factors, with education and employment remaining key determinants of contraceptive use. This results in a steady rise in unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal death.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of employment and education level on contraceptive use among females aged 15–49 years in Jamaica.
Method: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2021 Reproductive Health Survey. The sample consisted of 3224 women aged 15-49 years and were selected using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design. Questions (demographics and contraceptive use and knowledge) from the 2021 Reproductive Health Survey were utilized for this study and data collected through the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) method. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted using the IBM SPSS Version 30. Permission to use the dataset was gained from the Derek Gordon Databank at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
Results: Majority of the respondents (40.4%) were 35 years and over and had secondary level education (47.4%). Findings revealed that 88.3% of women had ever used a contraceptive method, with fourteen (14) identified contraceptive methods used by the respondents. Significantly higher proportions of respondents with a post-secondary education (90.7%) versus those with a secondary level education (87%) and a primary level education (85.7%) had ever used a contraceptive method (p=0.02). Additionally, significantly higher proportion of respondents who were employed (96.4%) versus those unemployed (79.8%) had ever used a contraceptive (p<0.001).
Conclusion: This study revealed that demographic variables such as education and employment status are key influencing factors of whether women of the childbearing age (15-49 years) will ever use a contraceptive method. The nursing implications of this study encompass strengthening contraceptive education, addressing factors influencing contraceptive use through individualized counselling and advocacy, and promoting context-specific research to support improved contraceptive uptake and informed decision-making.
Notes
References:
Jamaica National Family Planning Board, Statistical Institute of Jamaica. (2023). Jamaica Reproductive Health Survey 2021-2022.
Makumbi, F. E., Nabukeera, S., Tumwesigye, N. M., Namanda, C., Atuyambe, L., Mukose, A., Ssali, S., Ssenyonga, R., Tweheyo, R., Gidudu, A., Sekimpi, C., Hashim, C. V., Nicholson, M., & Ddungu, P. (2023). Socio-economic and education related inequities in use of modern contraceptive in seven sub-regions in Uganda. BMC health services research, 23(1), 201. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09150-y
World Health Organization. (2025). Family planning/Contraception. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/family-planning-contraception
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Secondary Analysis
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Contraceptive Agents, Contraceptive Agents--Therapeutic Use, Employment, Education, Family Planning, Family Planning--Psychosocial Factors
Recommended Citation
Brown, Shamoi K.; Harris, Anatassia; Wilson, Kriss-Ann; Levy, Nicholai; and Anderson-Johnson, Pauline, "The Influence of Employment and Education on Contraceptive Use Among Women of Childbearing Age" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 87.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/posters_2026/87
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-08-30
The Influence of Employment and Education on Contraceptive Use Among Women of Childbearing Age
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background: Although the majority of women of child-bearing age utilize a modern contraceptive method, there is a significant gap in family planning highlighted by 164 million women having an unmet contraceptive need. The unmet need for contraception is attributed to multiple factors, with education and employment remaining key determinants of contraceptive use. This results in a steady rise in unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal death.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of employment and education level on contraceptive use among females aged 15–49 years in Jamaica.
Method: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2021 Reproductive Health Survey. The sample consisted of 3224 women aged 15-49 years and were selected using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design. Questions (demographics and contraceptive use and knowledge) from the 2021 Reproductive Health Survey were utilized for this study and data collected through the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) method. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted using the IBM SPSS Version 30. Permission to use the dataset was gained from the Derek Gordon Databank at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
Results: Majority of the respondents (40.4%) were 35 years and over and had secondary level education (47.4%). Findings revealed that 88.3% of women had ever used a contraceptive method, with fourteen (14) identified contraceptive methods used by the respondents. Significantly higher proportions of respondents with a post-secondary education (90.7%) versus those with a secondary level education (87%) and a primary level education (85.7%) had ever used a contraceptive method (p=0.02). Additionally, significantly higher proportion of respondents who were employed (96.4%) versus those unemployed (79.8%) had ever used a contraceptive (p<0.001).
Conclusion: This study revealed that demographic variables such as education and employment status are key influencing factors of whether women of the childbearing age (15-49 years) will ever use a contraceptive method. The nursing implications of this study encompass strengthening contraceptive education, addressing factors influencing contraceptive use through individualized counselling and advocacy, and promoting context-specific research to support improved contraceptive uptake and informed decision-making.
Description
This study examined the influence of education and employment on contraceptive use among women aged 15–49 in Jamaica. Women with post-secondary education and being actively employed were more likely to use contraceptives. These findings have implications for governments and the health sectors in the Caribbean to invest in development of women’s education and the employment of women. Thus ensuring the empowerment of women in making safe childbearing choices.