| Abstract: | A study was undertaken in the province of Bukidnon in the Philippines to determine the actual percentage of family planning (FP) acceptors who become dropouts, the reasons they drop out, and the factors most strongly associated with this phenomenon. Data were collected through interviews with married women of reproductive age who had been recorded as being a FP acceptor during 1992. The sample size was set at 400 using a probability-proportionate-to-size sampling technique. In examining the extent of the drop-out problem, it was found that the actual FP status of each respondent agreed with the clinic records in 73.4% of cases and that 22% of those thought to be dropouts had actually switched methods. Most of the women who stopped using oral contraceptives said they did so because of side effects. The drop-out problem was most acute among women who were poorer, less educated, and of higher parity. The attitude of a husband towards use of a method was a better predictor of continuation than the wife's attitude. Clients who felt their provider was approachable and friendly were significantly less likely to drop out. Despite the fact that the FP program is modeled on a "cafeteria" approach which provides choices to acceptors, 9.5% of acceptors in this survey claimed they were not offered a choice. Women who received limited information were more likely to become drop-outs. Clients who had to return to clinics frequently for resupply of OCs or condoms were most likely to become drop-outs. While the number of dropouts identified in this study was only half the official estimate for the province, the short time between FP acceptance and the survey may have reduced the number of dropouts. The program implications of these findings are that 1) the occurrence of side effects needs study, 2) groups characterized by high drop-out rates should receive immediate attention, 3) favorable attitudes should be fostered in husbands, 4) women must receive more information on their options, 5) quality of care must be improved, 6) the use of the IUD should be promoted, and 7) resupply procedures should be revised to reduce trips to the clinic. |
