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The Influence of Religion and Ethnicity on Family Planning Approval: A Case for Women in Rural Western Kenya

Journal of Religion and Health volume 55, pages 192–205 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

The role of sociocultural factors such as religion and ethnicity in aiding or hampering family planning (FP) uptake in rural Western Kenya, a region with persistently high fertility rates, is not well established. We explored whether attitudes towards FP can be attributed to religious affiliation and/or ethnicity among women in the region. Findings show that religion and ethnicity have no impact; the most significant factors are level of education and knowledge about the benefits of FP for the mother. FP interventions ought to include strategies aimed at enhancing women’s knowledge about the positive impacts of family planning.

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Acknowledgments

PWKP is financed by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The authors are grateful to the Partnerships for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (PAMANECH), Evidence to Action (E2A) and PWKP Projects at the African Population and Health Research Center for supporting our work.

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Affiliations

  1. African Population and Health Research Center, P.O. Box 10787, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya

    Pauline Bakibinga, Namuunda Mutombo, Carol Mukiira, Eva Kamande & Alex Ezeh

  2. Great Lakes University Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya

    Richard Muga

Authors
  1. Pauline Bakibinga
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  2. Namuunda Mutombo
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  3. Carol Mukiira
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  4. Eva Kamande
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  5. Alex Ezeh
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  6. Richard Muga
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Correspondence to Pauline Bakibinga.

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Bakibinga, P., Mutombo, N., Mukiira, C. et al. The Influence of Religion and Ethnicity on Family Planning Approval: A Case for Women in Rural Western Kenya. J Relig Health 55, 192–205 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0030-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0030-9

Keywords

  • Religion
  • Ethnicity
  • Family planning approval
  • Western Kenya