The Accessibility of Birth Control Methods: Assessing the

Households Demographics & Socio-economic Factors on the Demand for Contraceptives in

the PhilippinesDarlene Angelini R. Co

Charlyn Janna H. FranciscoMaria Theresa M. Nogoy Wilhelm Mathew R. Ong

What is our Motivation?

Universal access to reproductive health care services Sexual Education Prevent growth of Philippine population from reaching 100 million

What’s the point?

Natural Birth Control Method vs. Artificial Birth Conrtol

What is our aim?

1. Estimate the demand function for contraceptives and its different methods in the Philippines. 2.To determine if the RH bill will have an effect on the demand for contraceptives in the Philippines 3. To determine which birth control method is most frequently used 4. To determine the different variables that would affect the usage of the different methods of contraceptives

What do others say?

Contraceptive Use

Fertility

Younger couples

mortality

incomeDemographic characteristics

Woman’s age cohort

education

ancestry

Urban/rural residence

Cohabitation with in-laws

Contraceptive knowledge

Opp. Cost(Working status)

Household income

Consumption of goods at leisure

Utility & preferences

What does the theory say?

Study Malthusian Theory

Microeconomic Theories on Fertility Contraception Rate

Dependent Variable

Rate of population change

Fertility Contraception Rate

Independent Variables

- stock of capital- population- per capita stock of capital - consumption per capita - population policy expenditure per capita

- consumption patterns of the parents

- consumption of the existing children

- welfare is a function of both family size and consumption

- birth or contraception rate- the average age in the period- household-specific taste parameter- cumulative fertility of household j over the two time periods

What does the theory say?Study Contraceptive

Prevalence Rate Utility Function of ParentsLong Run

Relationship of Fertility

Dependent Variable

Unmet need for contraceptives

Utility of parents

Utility of having a child for parents

Potential market income

Independent Variables

- Household characteristics

- Utility of middle aged- Utility of old aged- Utility of having a child for parents

- Utility of adults- Happiness of youth- Guilt the children would feel towards their parents

- potential market income- weight of children in utility- goods produced at home- number of children that is regarded as a basic need- unit of time- fertility rate- child survival rate

How do we go about this?

Dummy Variable Value for Y Description

0 = Not used any contraceptives Not used any method of contraceptives in last 12 months

1 = Used contraceptives Used contraceptives in last 12 months

What are our variables?Variable Names Variables Descriptions

 Household Characteristics(HHC)   

houshldmem number of household memberssexofhhh sex of household headageofhhh age of household headtotalchildren total children ever born

ageofmarriage age at first marriage

Religion (REL)       

catholic Roman Catholicprotestant Protestantiglesia Iglesia ni Cristoaglipay Aglipayislam Islambachristian Born Again ChristianJehovah Jehovah’s Witnessadventist Seventh Day Adventist

 Wealth Index (WI)

   

poorer Poorermiddleclass Middleclassricher Richerrichest Richest

What are our variables?Variable Names   Variables  Descriptions

Recent Sexual Activity (RSA)  

active Active in last 4 weeks

postpartum Not active in last 4 weeks – postpartum abstinence after the birth of the last child

notpostpartum Not active in last 4 weeks – not postpartum abstinence after the birth of the last child

Highest Educational Attainment (EDUC)  

elem Primary Education

hs Secondary Educationcollege Tertiary Education

Cost of Current Method(COST) 

knowcost Has knowledge on cost of contraceptives

free Free contraceptives

What are our variables?Dummy Variable Value for Y Included Contraceptives

0 = Not used any

contraceptives

Not used any method of contraceptives

1 = Natural Method Periodic abstinence, withdrawal, abstinence, lactational

amenorrhea, mucus/billings/ovulation, basal body

temperature, symptothermal, standard days

2 = Internal Method IUD, injections, diaphragm, female sterilization, male

sterilization, norplant (or implants), foam or jelly

3 = Condoms Condom, female condom

4 = Patch Patch

5 = Pills Pill

6 = NEC Not elsewhere classified

What do we expect?

A-priori Expectations: Variable Sign

Number of Household Members +Sex of Household Head +Age of Household Head -Total Children +Age at First Marriage -Roman Catholic +Protestant +Iglesia +Aglipay +Islam -Born Again Christian +Jehovah’s Witness +Seventh Day Adeventist +

What do we expect?

Variable SignPoorer +Middle Class +Richer -Richest -Active in the last 4 weeks +Postpartum Abstinence -Non-postpartum abstinence -Elementary +High School +College +Knowledge of Cost -Free +

A-priori Expectations:

How do we implement?

• Binomial Logistics • Marginal Effects of Binomial Logistics • Multinomial Logistics • Marginal Effects of Multinomial Logistics • Maximum Likelihood Explanation • DATA SOURCE: National Demographic Health

Survey (NDHS) 2008

What are our findings?

Contraceptive Number of usersNot Using 20914Natural 1811Internal 1120Condom 547Patch 2Pill 3943Not Elsewhere Classified 181Total 28518

• Contraceptive Used

What are our findings?

• Gender of Household HeadSex Responde

ntsMale 25541Female 2977Total 28518

What are our findings?• Religion of Respondents

Religion RespondentsRoman Catholic 21081Protestant 1432Iglesia ni Cristo 776Aglipay 443Islam 2394Born Again Christian 1959Jehovah’s Witness 177Seventh Day Adventist 167Other Religion 28None 61Total 28518

What are our findings?

Wealth IndexNumber of Respondents

Poorest 8235Poorer 6721Middle 5492Richer 4513Richest 3557Total 28518

• Economic Status

What are our findings?• Highest Educational Attainment

Education Number of Respondents

No Education 1029Elementary 9854High School 11590College 6045Total 28518

What are our findings?• Recent Sexual Activity

Sexual Activity (past 4 weeks)

Number of Respondents

Never Had Sex 0Active 20038Postpartum Abstinence 1297Non-Postpartum Abstinence 7120Total 28445

What are our findings?• Knowledge of Cost

Answer RespondentsKnows Cost 11228Does not Know Cost 17290Total 28518

What are our findings?• Cost of Contraceptive

Answer RespondentsFree 3357Otherwise 25161Total 28518

What are our findings?• Household Characteristics

Variables Binomial Not Use Natural Internal Condom Patch Pills NEC

number of household member

0.00877*** -0.00118 -0.00113*** -0.00128*** 0.00022 0.00000*** 0.00359*** -0.00023*

gender of household head

0.09205*** -0.13616*** 0.04021*** 0.02558*** 0.01021*** 0.00001 0.05732*** 0.00283***

age of household head

-0.00269*** 0.00130*** 0.00022*** 0.00004 -0.00010*** 0.00000 -0.00148*** 0.00002

total number of children

-0.01590*** 0.01710*** -0.00017 -0.00190*** -0.00128*** 0.00000*** -0.01405*** 0.00030***

age at marriage -0.00755*** 0.00175*** 0.00146*** -0.00070*** 0.00069*** 0.00000*** -0.00293*** -0.00028**

What are our findings?• Religion

Variables Binomial Not Use Natural Internal Condom Patch Pills NEC

catholic 0.23795*** -0.50375 -0.00628 0.00032 0.34839 0.00005 0.08726 0.07401

protestant 0.36027*** -0.77413** -0.05782* -0.03857** 0.84267 0.00000 -0.12035 0.1482

iglesia 0.40720*** -0.76554** -0.05979** -0.03718** 0.98972** 0.00000 -0.12377 -0.00344

aglipay 0.34019*** -0.76185*** -0.05905*** -0.03746* 0.4416 0.00000 -0.12696* 0.54372

islam -0.02916 -0.75455 -0.06720* -0.04012 0.06531 0.00000 -0.13058 0.92714

Born again Christian 0.33678*** -0.78139** -0.05815* -0.03556 0.72357 0.00000 -0.11782 0.26935

Jehovah 0.41999*** -0.75799*** -0.05821** -0.03745*** 0.98627*** 0.00000 -0.12919* -0.00343

adventist 0.39228*** -0.75726*** -0.05818 -0.03734 0.98601*** 0.00000 -0.12979* -0.00343

What are our findings?• Economic Status and Education

Variables Binomial Not Use Natural Internal Condom Patch Pills NEC

poorer 0.09129*** -0.02572 0.00353 -0.00063 0.00726 0.00000 0.01747 -0.00191***

middleclass 0.10993*** -0.01168 -0.01458 0.00139 0.01848 0.00000 0.01005 -0.00366***

richer 0.13719*** -0.00339 -0.01718 0.00575 0.02103 0.00000 -0.00269 -0.00352***

richest 0.11210*** 0.04693 -0.00836 -0.02582*** 0.0157 0.00000 -0.02297 -0.00548***

elementary 0.13960*** -0.84331 -0.03508 -0.02664 0.99559 0.00000 -0.08475 -0.00581

high school 0.19941*** -0.86815 -0.02735 -0.02547 0.9926 0.00000 -0.06364 -0.00799

college 0.24685*** -0.83026*** -0.03773 -0.03053 0.99949*** 0.00000 -0.0954 -0.00557***

What are our findings?

• Recent Sexual Activity

Variables Binomial Not Use Natural Internal Condom Patch Pills NEC

active 0.05545 -0.26159 -0.0381 0.01281 -0.00071 0.00006 -0.1043 0.39179

postpartum -0.28754*** -0.73664 -0.0669 -0.03955 -0.0187 0.00000 -0.1357 0.99748

not in postpartum -0.22158*** -0.68926 -0.0751 -0.03309 -0.01082 0.00000 -0.1869 0.99509

What are our findings?

• CostVariables Binomial Not Use Natural Internal Condom Patch Pills NEC

Free 0.00877*** -0.56549*** 0.53947*** 0.09763*** -0.01634*** -0.00008 -0.04799*** -0.00719***

know 0.09205*** -0.63596*** 0.16129*** 0.09858*** 0.03785*** 0.00018 0.34853*** -0.01047***

So What?

• POPCOM activity would affect sexual behaviour but effectiveness to decrease population rate is not certain

• Arguments between Church and Government is unnecessary– Catholics avail contraceptive likewise

other religion except Islam

So What?

• Increase in family size, decrease in use of contraceptive

• If household head is female, they prefer contraceptives

• Literature says that there is no significant change in fertility when contraceptives are for free

• Results show that there will be significant change in use of contraceptive if given for free

• Prices of condoms and pills are inelastic

We say..

• It is recommended for POPCOM to pursue the activities

• Religion is not a reason why RH Bill must not be pushed through