Project Materials

ATTITUDE TO AND PRACTICE OF MODERN FAMILY PLANNING AMONG WIDOWS OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN LOGO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BENUE STATE

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Adewale, Umoh, Iwere, and Gbadegesin (2005) believe that attitudes and practices regarding modern family planning have received a lot of attention in recent years.

This is due to an increase in unwanted or unexpected births, induced or unlawful abortion, maternal mortality, sexually transmitted infections, and the prevalence of HIV and AIDS among women of reproductive age. There is no single commonly accepted definition of attitude.

However, Anderson (1981) believes that attitude is a moderately powerful emotion that prepares or predisposes people to regularly respond positively when confronted with a specific object. Okafor (1991) defined attitude as one’s feelings towards an item, person, or thing.

According to Cornachia, Station, and Irwin (1999), an attitude is a mindset for action, or an inward preparedness to behave or act. Simpson and Weiner (2000) defined attitude as a manner of feeling, thinking, or acting.

Aitken (2000) claimed that there is no standard definition of attitude, but in general, he saw the phrase as implying an individual’s learnt predisposition or tendency to respond positively or adversely to certain objects or situations.

Mann (2002) defines attitude as a generally permanent organisation of internalised beliefs that characterise, evaluate, and promote behaviours in relation to an object or circumstance, with each belief containing cognitive, affective, and behavioural components.

He went on to say that each of these beliefs represents a predisposition that when activated, results in a preference response to the attitude-object or situation, or to the maintenance or preservation of the attitude itself.

In the context of this study, attitude refers to a belief, feeling, thinking, thoughts, or emotion that influences how an individual responds when confronted with a specific thing. For example, a widow’s beliefs, feelings, or thoughts regarding modern family planning influence her approach towards modern family planning.

In contrast, practice is defined as something done consistently or customarily (Webster, 1980). Simpson and Weiner (1991) define practice as a habitual behaviour or routine. According to Hornby (2001), practice is doing something on a regular basis as part of one’s daily routine.

In the context of this study, it refers to adopting current family planning methods on a regular basis as part of one’s usual sexual conduct. Modern family planning may benefit both women whose spouses are living alone and widows of reproductive age.

A widow is a lady who has lost her husband and has not married since (Hornby, 2001). Okafor (2004) defined a widow as a woman who married a man but lost him to death.

Igbudu and Okoro (2010) define a widow of reproductive age as a woman aged 15 to 49 who has lost her husband and has not remarried.

A young widow of reproductive age is a lady aged 15 to 32 years who has lost her husband and has not remarried. An old widow of reproductive age is a lady aged 33 to 49 years who has lost her husband and has not remarried.