HIGHLIGHTS

• Under the Breakthrough ACTION project, we worked to identify the behavioral determinants of contraceptive use among women of reproductive age in Burundi.
• Our insights were intended to support a communication campaign focused on expanding contraceptive use among women in Burundi.

The Challenge

Despite significant efforts by the government of Burundi to increase access to family planning services, contraceptive prevalence remains low. Burundi has an 18.1% modern contraceptive prevalence rate among women of reproductive age: 29.2% for married women and 4.2% among unmarried women. This rate is much lower than other countries in the region.

Our Approach

Under the Breakthrough ACTION activity, ideas42 conducted qualitative research to identify the barriers holding back women from adopting a contraceptive method to avoid an undesired pregnancy. Our inquiry generated the following insights:

• Large families are a sign of prosperity but the financial implications of caring for more children strongly influence  decision-making related to family size.
• An imbalance in economic power among  couples makes it more challenging for women to negotiate with their partners and adopt contraceptives.
• Fear of side effects, either through personal experiences or rumors, deter women from using modern contraceptive methods.
• Women prefer to seek services outside of normal hours or when health centers are emptier to avoid the potential judgment of others from the community related to contraceptive use.
• The need for husband approval prior to adopting a contraceptive limits women’s ability to use contraceptives in a timely manner.
• Provider bias and family planning counseling of lesser quality impact a woman’s ability to access a contraceptive method that fits her needs.

Insights from this work were intended to support a communication campaign focused on expanding contraceptive use among women in Burundi by another partner.

Takeaway

Interested in our work applying behavioral science to global health? Email health@ideas42.org or reach out to us on LinkedIn to join the conversation.