Women's bargaining power and contraception use in post-Soviet Tajikistan. Issue 4 (1st October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Juraqulova, Zarrina H.; Henry, Ellison B.
• Is Part Of: Central Asian survey. Volume 39:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 520
• Page End: 539
• Publication Date: 2020-10-01
• Subjects: Tajikistan -- decision-making power -- contraception -- family planning -- fertility; Asia, Central -- Periodicals; 958.005
• DOI: 10.1080/02634937.2020.1806202
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0263-4937

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article aims to examine the relationship between women's household bargaining power and their adoption of modern contraception in post-Soviet Tajikistan using the 2012 Demographic and Health Survey. The study uses direct measures of bargaining weights: a woman's ability to make decisions about her own health care; visits to her family or relatives; and contraceptive use. An additional measure defining a woman's financial capability to receive medical treatment for herself is added in the analysis to understand its correlation to women's contraceptive-use behaviour. The probability of using contraception is 187 percentage points higher for a woman who has both control over her own health care and financial means to get medical help than a woman who does not have these choices. Having a say in the decision to control births increases the probability of using contraception by 98 percentage points. Our findings reveal that certain aspects of a woman's household decision-making and financial freedom are relevant to explain her contraceptive-use behaviour.