Unmet need for long-acting and permanent contraceptives and associated factors among married women in Southern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Long-acting and permanent methods (LAPMs) prevent women from having unintended pregnancies. Globally, unintended pregnancies, both mistimed and unwanted, occur every year. In developing countries, maternal mortality and unsafe abortions result from unintended pregnancies. This study aimed to assess the unmet need for LAPMs of contraceptives and associated factors among married women of the reproductive age group (15–49 years) in Hosanna Town, Southern Ethiopia, in 2019. METHODS: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from March 20 to April 15, 2019. Data were collected on 672 current married women in the reproductive age group (15–49) through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Study participants were selected using a multi-stage sampling method. Data were entered into the computer using EpiData version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with the unmet need for LAPMs. An odds ratio with 95% CI was used to assess the association between the independent and dependent variables. RESULTS: The unmet need for LAPMs for contraception in Hossana town was 234 (34.8%) (95% CI: 29.8, 39.8). Factors significantly associated with the unmet need for LAPMs of contraception were: women’s age 35–49 [AOR = 9.01, 95% CI: 4.21, 19.32]; education of women [AOR = 8.64, 95% CI: 1.65, 45.42]; lack of discussion between partners [AOR = 4.79, 95% CI: 3.11, 7.39]; lack of proper counseling for women [AOR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.41, 3.23]; having a daily laborer occupation [AOR = 7.08, 95% CI: 2.44, 20.51]; and attitude of women toward LAPMs of contraception [AOR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.56]. CONCLUSIONS: The unmet need for LAPMs was high in the study area. Age of women, discussions with partners, women ever counseled by health professionals, respondents’ educational status, husband’s educational status, women’s attitude toward LAPMs, and respondents’ occupational status were contibutes for high unmet need. High unmet need contributes to an unintended pregnancy and risky abortions. Proper counseling of women and women’s discussions with their husbands is fundamental areas of intervention.