Measuring Contraceptive Autonomy at Two Sites in Burkina Faso: A First Attempt to Measure a Novel Family Planning Indicator

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Citation

Senderowicz, Leigh; Bullington, Brooke W.; Sawadogo, Nathalie; Tumlinson, Katherine; Langer, Ana; Soura, Abdramane; Zabré, Pascal; & Sié, Ali (2023). Measuring Contraceptive Autonomy at Two Sites in Burkina Faso: A First Attempt to Measure a Novel Family Planning Indicator. Studies in Family Planning, 54(1), 201-230. PMCID: PMC10184300

Abstract

There is growing consensus in the family planning community around the need for novel measures of autonomy. Existing literature highlights the tension between efforts to pursue contraceptive targets and maximize uptake on the one hand, and efforts to promote quality, person-centeredness, and contraceptive autonomy on the other hand. Here, we pilot a novel measure of contraceptive autonomy, measuring it at two Health and Demographic Surveillance System sites in Burkina Faso. We conducted a population-based survey with 3,929 women of reproductive age, testing an array of new survey items within the three subdomains of informed choice, full choice, and free choice. In addition to providing tentative estimates of the prevalence of contraceptive autonomy and its subdomains in our sample of Burkinabè women, we critically examine which parts of the proposed methodology worked well, what challenges/limitations we encountered, and what next steps might be for refining, improving, and validating the indicator. We demonstrate that contraceptive autonomy can be measured at the population level but a number of complex measurement challenges remain. Rather than a final validated tool, we consider this a step on a long road toward a more person-centered measurement agenda for the global family planning community.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sifp.12224

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2023

Journal Title

Studies in Family Planning

Author(s)

Senderowicz, Leigh
Bullington, Brooke W.
Sawadogo, Nathalie
Tumlinson, Katherine
Langer, Ana
Soura, Abdramane
Zabré, Pascal
Sié, Ali

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC10184300

Data Set/Study

Oua-gadougou Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Ouaga HDSS)
Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Nouna HDSS)

Continent/Country

Burkina Faso

ORCiD

Bullington - 0000-0002-3341-087X
Tumlinson - 0000-0001-8314-8219