High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey

Erhan Hüseyin Cömert; Neşe Türkmen; Umran Karabulut Doğan; Ozan Doğan

doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1840721

High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey

Abstract

Objective: To assess women’s awareness, use, and preferences regarding family planning (FP) methods in a remote rural province of northeastern Turkey and to examine how education, parity, and contraceptive knowledge shape contraceptive behavior. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 822 sexually active women aged 15–65 years attending Ardahan State Hospital between January 2019 and December 2020 completed a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive history, awareness and use of contraceptive methods, reasons for non-use, and sources of information. Knowledge of ten modern methods was operationalized as recognition of each method and scored from 0 to 10. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA, and multivariable regression (binary logistic for current contraceptive use; linear for knowledge score) were applied. Results: The mean age was 30.9 ± 8.4 years. Awareness of modern methods was high (77.1% for intrauterine devices and 63.6% for both oral pills and condoms), yet only 41.1% reported current use of any contraceptive method, including withdrawal. Among users, the intrauterine device (52.7%) and withdrawal (21.3%) were the most common methods. In multivariable analysis, higher education (adjusted OR = 1.28, p = 0.003), greater parity (adjusted OR = 1.87, p < 0.001), and higher contraceptive-knowledge score (adjusted OR = 1.35, p = 0.001) were independently associated with current contraceptive use, whereas age and income were not significant predictors. Conclusion: In this rural setting, modern contraceptive methods were widely known; however, uptake of modern methods remained limited and withdrawal remained common. Although pregnancy intention accounted for a substantial share of non-use, strengthening female education and embedding midwife- and physician-led FP counselling into routine primary care may help close the gap between awareness and effective contraceptive practice in rural Turkey and comparable middle-income country contexts.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Erhan Hüseyin Cömert ^*
0000-0003-1431-2294
Türkiye

Neşe Türkmen
0000-0003-3828-0901
Türkiye

Umran Karabulut Doğan
0000-0002-1935-3696
Türkiye

Ozan Doğan
0000-0002-0016-8749
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 1, 2026

Submission Date

December 11, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 30, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 17 Number: April, May, June 2026

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1840721

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA53ZA76CJ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Cömert, E. H., Türkmen, N., Karabulut Doğan, U., & Doğan, O. (2026). High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 17(April, May, June 2026). https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1840721

AMA

1.Cömert EH, Türkmen N, Karabulut Doğan U, Doğan O. High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey. Acibadem Univ Saglik Bilim Derg. 2026;17(April, May, June 2026). doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1840721

Chicago

Cömert, Erhan Hüseyin, Neşe Türkmen, Umran Karabulut Doğan, and Ozan Doğan. 2026. “High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge Among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey”. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 17 (April, May, June 2026). https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1840721.

EndNote

Cömert EH, Türkmen N, Karabulut Doğan U, Doğan O (June 1, 2026) High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 17 April, May, June 2026

IEEE

[1]E. H. Cömert, N. Türkmen, U. Karabulut Doğan, and O. Doğan, “High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey”, Acibadem Univ Saglik Bilim Derg, vol. 17, no. April, May, June 2026, June 2026, doi: 10.31067/acusaglik.1840721.

ISNAD

Cömert, Erhan Hüseyin - Türkmen, Neşe - Karabulut Doğan, Umran - Doğan, Ozan. “High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge Among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey”. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 17/April, May, June 2026 (June 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1840721.

JAMA

1.Cömert EH, Türkmen N, Karabulut Doğan U, Doğan O. High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey. Acibadem Univ Saglik Bilim Derg. 2026;17. doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1840721.

MLA

Cömert, Erhan Hüseyin, et al. “High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge Among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey”. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, vol. 17, no. April, May, June 2026, June 2026, doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1840721.

Vancouver

1.Erhan Hüseyin Cömert, Neşe Türkmen, Umran Karabulut Doğan, Ozan Doğan. High Awareness, Low Use: Determinants of Contraceptive Use and Knowledge among Rural Women in Northeastern Turkey. Acibadem Univ Saglik Bilim Derg. 2026 Jun. 1;17(April, May, June 2026). doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1840721