Factors influencing contraceptive use among women of reproductive age from the pastoralist communities of Afar, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

Background: Contraceptive use is recognized as one of the most cost-effective interventions to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality. However, the prevalence of contraceptive use is disproportionately low among women of reproductive age from the pastoralist communities of Ethiopia. Objective: study aimed to assess the factors influencing contraceptive use among women of reproductive age from the pastoralist communities of Afar, Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,978 randomly selected women of reproductive age who had given birth within two years prior to the study. Ten districts, selected by a multistage sampling technique, were included in the study. Five kebeles were randomly selected from each of the 10 districts and then sample size was proportionally allocated to each selected kebele. Households were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic and economic characteristics, reproductive history, and factors influencing for contraceptive use. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software and logistic regression methods. Statistical significance was declared at p-value of less than 0.05. Results: Of the 1,978 respondents, only 149 (7.5%) had ever used modern contraceptives and 107 (5.4%) were current users. The ability to read and write (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.5-4.1), household asset availability (AOR = 7.9; 95% CI: 3.7-17.0), being the only wife of a husband (AOR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.1-2.6) and number of children wanted (AOR = 1.1; 95% CI: 1.1-1.2) were significantly associated with current use of contraceptive methods. Conclusions: The proportions of current and ever use for contraceptives are low. Women's educational attainment may able to give opportunity to read about contraceptive use, and it increased possibility of contraceptive use. Women in polygamies marriage are less likely to use contraceptive, which may imply possible computation of wives to bear more children. Interventions aim to send girls for schools and adult women's learning may have promising power to contraceptive use.