Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T21:55:23.206Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Significance of beliefs and values in predicting fertility and contraceptive behaviour in Pakistan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

M. I. Zafar ,
N. Ford  and
A. Ankomah
M. I. Zafar
Affiliation:
Institute of Population Studies, University of Exeter
N. Ford
Affiliation:
Institute of Population Studies, University of Exeter
A. Ankomah
Affiliation:
Institute of Population Studies, University of Exeter
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A comparative study of 1100 women aged 25–45 years, users and non-users of modern methods of contraception, in the urban centres of Lahore and Faisalabad was conducted in 1991. The objective of the study was to investigate reproductive behaviour and the extent to which social, cultural and attitudinal variables, such as beliefs and values about family life, religiosity and fatalism, influence the fertility decision-making process. Preferences for smaller families were found to be consistently associated with modern attitudes and behaviour towards family and religious values and obligations. Family income, husband's occupation and religiosity offered no explanation of reproductive behaviour. It is concluded that cultural setting and tradition exert an important influence on reproductive behaviour, independent of economic development.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , July 1995 , pp. 301 - 318
Copyright
Copyright © 1995, Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alam, I. & Cleland, J. (1981) Illustrative Analysis: Recent Fertility Trends in Sri Lanka. WFS Scientific Report No. 25. International Statistical Institute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
Anderson, B. A. (1986) Regional and cultural factors in the decline of marital fertility in Western Europe. In: The Decline of Fertility in Europe, pp. 293–313. Edited by Coale, A. J. & Watkins, S. C.. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.Google Scholar
Anderson, J. E. & Cleland, J. G. (1984) The World Fertility and Contraceptive Prevalence Surveys: a comparison of substantive results. Stud. Fam. Plann. 15, 1.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beckman, L. (1983) Communication, power, and the influence of social networks in couple decisions on fertility. In: Determinants of Fertility in Developing Countries, Vol. 2, pp. 415–443. Edited by Bulatao, R. A. & Lee, R. D.. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Bongaarts, J. (1978) A framework for analysis of the proximate determinants of fertility. Popul. Dev. Rev. 4, 105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cleland, J. (1985) Marital fertility decline in developing countries. In: Reproductive Change in Developing Countries. Insight from the World Fertility Survey, pp. 223–252. Edited by Cleland, J. & Hobcraft, J.. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Coombs, L. C. (1976) Are Cross-Cultural Preferences Comparisons Possible? A Measurement–Theoretic Approach. IUSSP Paper No. 5, Liège, Belgium.Google Scholar
Coombs, L. C. & Freedman, R. (1979) Some roots of preference: roles, activities and familial values. Demography 16, 359.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coombs, L. C. & Sun, T. H. (1978) Family composition preferences in a developing culture: the case of Taiwan, 1973. Popul. Stud. 31, 43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Easterlin, A. R. (1983) Modernization and fertility: a critical essay. In: Determinants of Fertility in Developing Countries, Vol. 2, pp. 563–586. Edited by Bulatao, R. A. & Bongaarts, J.. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Freedman, R. (1987) The social and political environment, fertility, and family planning programme effectiveness. In: Organizing for Effective Family Planning Programmes, pp. 37–58. Edited by Lapham, R. J. & Simmons, G. B.. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Goldberg, D. (1974) Socioeconomic theory and differential fertility: the case of the LDCs. Social Forces, 54, 84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hashmi, S. S. (1991) Population Welfare Programme, Growth of Population and Social and Economic Development in Pakistan: An Occasion for Reassessment. National Institute of Population Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan.Google Scholar
Jillani, M. S. (1986) Current Population Situation in Pakistan. Position Paper for URC Workshop, Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 1986. National Institute of Population Studies, Islamabad.Google Scholar
Knodel, J. E., Havanon, N. & Pramualratana, A. (1984) Fertility transitions in Thailand: a qualitative analysis. Popul. Dev. Rev. 10, 297.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Knodel, J. & Van de Walle, E. (1979) Lessons from the past: policy implications of historical fertility studies. Popul. Dev. Rev. 5, 217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lesthaeghe, R. & Wilson, C. (1986) Modes of production, secularization, and the pace of the fertility decline in Western Europe, 1870–1930. In: The Decline of Fertility in Europe, pp. 261–292. Edited by Coale, A. J., & Watkins, S. C.. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.Google Scholar
Mosher, W. D. & Goldscheider, C. (1984) Contraceptive patterns of religious and racial groups in United States, 1955–76: convergence and distinctiveness. Stud. Fam. Plann. 15, 101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nai Peng, T. & Abdurahman, I. (1981) Factors Affecting Contraceptive Use in Peninsular Malaysia. WFS Scientific Reports No. 23. International Statistical Institute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
Norusis, M. J. (1990) SPSSIPC+ Advanced Statistics 4.0 Manual. SPSS Chicago.Google Scholar
Population Reference Bureau (1993) World Population Data Sheets. Population Reference Bureau, Washington.Google Scholar
Pollack, R. J. & Watkins, S. C. (1993) Culture and economic approaches to fertility: proper marriage or misalliance. Popul. Dev. Rev. 19, 467.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodriguez, G. & Cleland, J. (1981) Socioeconomic determinants of marital fertility in twenty centuries: multivariate analysis. In: World Fertility Survey Conference 1980, Record Proceedings 2. International Statistical Institute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
Schearer, S. B. (1983) Monetary and health costs of contraception. In: Determinants of Fertility in developing Countries, Vol. 2, pp. 89–150. Edited by Bulatao, R. A. & Lee, R. D.. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Soeradji, B. & Hatmadji, S. H. (1982) Contraceptive Use in Java–Bali: A Multivariate Analysis of the Determinants of Contraceptive Use. World Fertility Survey Scientific Reports, No.24, International Statistical Institute, Voorburg, Netherlands.Google Scholar
Thomas, N. (1991) Land, fertility, and population establishment. Popul. Stud. 45, 379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Teitelbaum, M. A. (1975) Relevance of Demographic Transition Theory for Developing Countries, pp.174–179. American Association For Advancement of Science and Population, Chicago.Google ScholarPubMed
Watkins, S. C. (1986) Conclusions. In: The Decline of Fertility in Europe, pp.420–450. Edited by Gale, A. J. & Watkins, S. C.. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.Google Scholar
Zafar, M. I. (1993) The Correlates of Fertility and Contraceptive Behaviour within the Framework of Socio-cultural Ideology: A Case Study of Two Urban Centres in Pakistan. PhD thesis, University of Exeter.Google Scholar