The knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of Syrian refugee women towards family planning: Sample of Hatay

• Published in: International journal of nursing practice Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. e12844 - n/a
• Main Authors: Gümüş Şekerci, Yasemin, Aydın Yıldırım, Tuğba
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-08-2020
• Subjects: Age; Attitudes; Behavior; Cultural sensitivity; Family planning; Family structure; Fertility; Husbands; Knowledge; Methods; Mistaken beliefs; Nurses; Nursing; refugees; sexual behaviours; Social security; Sociodemographics; Women; women's health; Womens health; refugees; nurses; sexual behaviours; women's health
• ISSN: 1322-7114; 1440-172X
• DOI: 10.1111/ijn.12844

Objective
This study was conducted with the aim of determining the fertility characteristics of Syrian refugee women and their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours with regard to family planning.
Design and Sample
The research was designed as a descriptive and cross‐sectional type of study. The study group consisted of 389 refugee women in the 15‐ to 49‐year age group who had migrated from Syria to Hatay.
Measure
Study data were collected between October 2018 and January 2019 using forms containing questions on participants' sociodemographic characteristics, and their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour regarding family planning. Data analysis was performed with the use of frequency, percentage, mean, median, standard deviation values and the chi‐square test.
Results
Most of the participants reported that they used a family planning method, 47.9% that they preferred traditional methods, 15.2% that the method used was supported by their husbands. Most of the participants had mistaken beliefs about pregnancy and family planning methods.
Participants' information on modern family planning methods was affected by their age, income level and social security status; their knowledge of traditional family planning methods was affected by their income level, their family structure and their use of a traditional method. Women's use of family planning was affected by their age, income level and their knowledge of modern and traditional methods.
Conclusions
Determination of the knowledge, attitudes and practice of refugee women regarding family planning and establishing the influential factors will enable nurses to make a contribution to the future provision of specific and culturally sensitive care to sick and healthy refugee women.
SUMMARY STATEMENT
What is already known about this topic?
Inclusive studies of family planning in refugees are relatively scarce.
Lack of data concerning the knowledge, attitudes and implementation of family planning by refugee women affects and hinders their use of modern methods.
What is already known about this topic?
Although most refugee women knew about modern family planning methods, the rate of use was low.
Women's attitudes affected their choice and use of family planning methods.
When determining health practices in refugee groups, study findings emphasize the need to take account of the cultural practices of the target group in order to be successful.
The implications of this paper:
In raising the level of knowledge, achieving positive attitudes and turning knowledge into behaviour, it is important to support the husbands' use of family planning methods, and for both men and women to receive education on family planning.
To meet the needs of Syrian refugee women for family planning services, nurses should provide counselling on modern family planning methods and ensure the sustainability of this service.