Abstract
BACKGROUND: Family planning helps to reduce poverty, increase gender equity, prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections, and reduce maternal, infant, and childhood mortality. Hence, this study aimed to examine the association between exposure to mass media family planning messages and the utilization of modern contraceptives among urban and rural youth women in Ethiopia. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study using the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data set was applied. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 20. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between exposure to mass media family planning messages and the utilization of modern contraceptives by controlling confounders. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was considered to declare a statistically significant association. RESULTS: The total sample was comprised of 6401 women (4061 from rural and 2340 from the urban area). There was no association between women exposed to mass media family planning messages and the utilization of modern contraceptives in rural areas. Surprisingly, this study showed that women exposed to mass media family planning messages in an urban area were less likely to use modern contraception by 62% (AOR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.68). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that there was no significant association between women exposed to mass media family planning messages and utilization of modern contraceptives in rural areas. But, women exposed to mass media family planning messages in urban areas were less likely to use modern contraception. The study showed the role of inequalities in modern contraceptive utilization as shaped by structural and intermediary factors including religion, location, household wealth, education, and the number of children. This implies that the use of modern contraceptive use may be more impactful if cultural, geographical, and socioeconomic barriers are addressed.