The Effect of Family Planning Education on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Toward Family Planning Methods Among Married Couples in Kersa and Goma Districts of Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Individuals with accurate knowledge that goes beyond knowing a few contraceptive methods, such as knowledge of fertility, benefits, and contraceptive side effects, are more likely to use and less likely to discontinue using family planning. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of family planning education on knowledge, attitude, and practice towards family planning among married couples in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was done on 766 married couples sampled using a random sampling technique and analyzed using SPSS 23.0. The significance of differences in mean knowledge and attitude between control and experimental couples was measured using the non-parametric 2-independent sample analysis (P < 0.05). RESULTS: The comparison of knowledge score means and significance of their differences between control and experimental women was found to be significant at the posttest (P = 0.001; r = 0.045). Similarly, the experimental men's knowledge score means and their difference was significant at posttest (P = 0.001, r = 0.26). With respect to a comparison of mean score of attitude and the significance of their difference between control and experimental women at posttest was significant with (P < 0.001; r = 0.13). Similarly, the comparison of the male partners in the control and experimental groups was significant at posttest (P = 0.001; r = 0.12). At the posttest, the proportion of experimental couples using each contraceptive method relatively increased, with a shift to relatively effective ones. Two hundred and ninety five (77.6%) of the control and 318 (83.5%) of the experimental men reported supporting their wives in the use of contraceptives, showing more improvement among the experimental men than the control group. CONCLUSION: Along with routine counseling, a well-structured behavioral model-based family planning education is required for effective and continuous use of contraceptives.