Ability to obtain and use contraceptive methods

Most males and females believed that they could obtain a contraceptive method if they decided to use one. The confidence of adults in their ability to get contraceptive methods was extemely high. However, teenagers, and particularly teenage girls, were much less confident in their ability to obtain a contraceptive method (70 percent of boys and 55 percent of girls believed that they could obtain a contraceptive method if they needed one).
Most respondents claimed that they could resist the pressure of their social environment when deciding to use a contraceptive method: 79 percent of males and 78 percent of females thought they could use a contraceptive method even if none of their friends or neighbors did so. The resistance of teenagers to potential social pressure was somewhat lower than that of adults (64 percent of boys and 67 percent of girls believed that they could use a contraceptive method even if their peers did not). The best diet for enlarged prostate. Only half of respondents (46 percent of males and 57 percent of females) believed that they could use a method of contraception if their spouse/partner did not want to (Table 41). The confidence of teenagers to resist the pressure of their partner was even lower; 40 percent of males adolescents and 50 percent of females believed that they could use a contraceptive method if their partner did not want to use a contraceptive. Women were more confident that they could resist the opinion of their spouse/ partner in their decision to use contraception than men.
An important barrier for choosing a contraceptive method was the opinion of the health provider: only one third of respondents (about one fourth of teenagers) thought that they could choose a contraceptive method if a health provider thought they should use another method.
The biggest barrirer for using a contraceptive method for most respondents was the negative influence of contraceptives on their health: only 19 percent of males and 14 percent of females agreed that they could continue to use a contraceptive method if they experienced some negative effects from using it.

Attitudes towards contraception and abortion

In general, men and women appear to hold largely favorable attitudes towards contraceptive methods. Two thirds of respondents disagreed that the use of contraceptive methods makes people more promiscuous. Most respondents did not see any particular obstacles from religious norms and authorities to using contraceptives (only one third of respondents think that religion was against women using family planning methods). Only a small proportion of respondents believe that it is shameful and embarrassing to go to a health facility for contraceptive methods.
At the same time, the use of contraceptives appears to raise doubts and concerns. Only 40 percent of men and 43 percent of women strongly agreed that there was a contraceptive method that perfectly fits their needs. Only 25 percent of males and 23 percent of females strongly believed that contraceptives do no have dangerous side effects. Despite these concerns, most respondents prefer the risk of side effects associated with contraceptive methods to more serious problems: only 17 percent of males and 18 percent of females prefer the risk of pregnancy to the risk of using a contraceptive method. The Importance of Conducting a Prostate Self Exam. Although the level of abortions in the survey sample was high, the attitudes of respondents towards abortion were very negative: 77 percent of males and 86 percent of females agreed that abortions were much more harmful than any contraceptive method. One quarter of respondents agreed that an abortion is the best solution to an unplanned pregnancy. Women who have ever had an abortion were somewhat more tolerant to this solution for unplanned pregnancies – 35 percent of them agreed that abortions were the best solution for an unplanned pregnancy.
The attitudes of teenagers towards abortions was similar to the attitudes of adults. Teenagers did differ from adults in their perceptions of the availability of a suitable contraceptive method: only 22 percent of male teenagers and 19 percent of female teenagers agreed that there was a contraceptive method that perfectly fits their needs.
Both men and women agreed that a husband and a wife should discuss family planning together; men were more likely to agree with this statement than women. However, 60 percent of men and 40 percent of women agreed that wives should get their husbands’ permission before taking any contraceptives. Few men and women thought contraceptives were solely a woman’s responsibility.

Attitudes towards condoms

In general, men and women have favorable attitudes towards condoms. However, their responses to the attitudinal statements about condoms also reveals a considerable gender gap.
Most men and women agreed that it was wise for both a man and a women to carry a condom, although more men and women felt it was wise for a man to carry a condom than for a woman to do so. Women were also more likely than men to agree that it was difficult to carry a condom because it makes it look like you planned to have sex and to agree that they would not be able to buy a condom because it is too embarrassing. Men were more likely than women to agree that using a condom reduces sexual pleasure.
Most respondents in the sample believed that they could obtain condoms when they needed them and use them correctly. Nearly 90 percent of men and 70 percent of women were confident that they could buy condoms in a store and three-fourths of respondents said that they can find money to buy condoms any time they wanted to get a condom. Eighty percent of men and 60 percent of women were confident that they can use a condom correctly. Simple exercises for prostate gland enlargement.Men and women were much less confident that they could use a condom consistently. Only 60 percent of men and 40 percent of women were confident that they could use a condom every time they have sex or after they had been drinking. Only half of men and women were confident that they could insist on the use of a condom if their partner did not want to use one. Only 40 percent of men and 50 percent of women were confident that they could refuse to have sex if their partner would not use a condom.

Tobacco and alcohol as main health risks

Tobacco use was investigated as a health risk behavior in its own right but also as a possible addictive behavior related to alcohol and drug use. A little less than two-thirds of male respondents and one-fourth of female respondents were current smokers, defined as smoking at least one cigarette a day. The prevalence of smoking was much higher among males in all age groups than among females. The difference was especially large among teenagers (the share of smokers among boys was almost 2.5 times higher than among girls).
More than half of all males and 18 percent of females reported that they were frequent smokers, defined as smoking at least three cigarettes a day.
Most respondents reported consuming alcohol at least once in the last month. Alcohol consumption was very high in all age groups, including teenagers and there were only small differences in alcohol use between men and women. Adolescent boys were more likely than adolescent girls to report drinking alcohol. Self Prostate Milking For Prostate Stimulation.

Thirty-six percent of respondents were classified as frequent alcohol drinkers, defined as having 4 or more drinks in the past months. Men were almost twice as likely to be a frequent drinker than women (36 percent compared to 18 percent). One-quarter of men in the sample reported ever being completely drunk, compared to 8 percent of women. The proportion of frequent drinkers was slightly higher in urban than in rural areas (29 percent compared to 22 percent respectively).

Health Services and Communication Channels We Use

Use of reproductive health services: In general, women reported using the help and advice of medical providers much more often than men. Thirteen percent of males and 51 percent of females ever visited a health provider for RH issues. Seven percent of males and 28 percent of females ever discussed contraceptive methods with a health provider.

Adolescent males and females are much less likely to use reproductive health services. Among males, only four percent of respondents between the ages of 14 and 17 years had ever visited a health provider for RH services, compared to 10 percent of males between the ages of 18 and 22 years and nearly 20 percent of respondents over the age of 23 years. Among females, only 16 percent of respondents between the ages of 14 and 17 years had visited a health provider for RH services, compared to more than 40 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 22 years and approximately 70 percent of females over the age of 23 years. Prostate cancer radiation treatment is effective.

Television has the greatest reach of all mass media channels. Nearly all men and women in the survey reported watching television at least several times per week, particularly during the early evening hours. In contrast, only 60 percent of respondents listen to the radio, 35 percent read newspapers, and 10 percent use the internet. Over half of all respondents consider television to be a trustworthy source of health information.

However, many respondents consider television to be a negative influence on healthy lifestyles. Forty percent of respondents believe that television characters and stories portray unhealthy lifestyles, compared to fewer than 15 percent of respondents for print media and the internet and five percent of respondents for the radio.

Risk Behaviors for HIV/AIDS, Sexual Transmitted Infections, and Unwanted Pregnancies

Drug use: Seven percent of respondents reported that they have ever used drugs. Reported drug consumption was much higher among men than among women. Among males, drug use was highest among respondents between the ages of 23-29 years old. Drug use among females did not differ by age. Marijuana and hashish were the most common drugs used. The use of heroine was highest in Ivanovo and Saratov regions where 13% of drug users reported using it.

Alcohol use: Alcohol consumption was very high in all age groups, including teenagers and there were only small differences in alcohol use between men and women. Adolescent boys were more likely than adolescent girls to report drinking alcohol. About half of all respondents reported that most of their friends and acquaintances drink alcohol. One-third of teenage respondents reported that most of their friend and acquaintances drink alcohol (which is much higher than their reported personal behavior). What Is Prostate Laser Surgery?

Sexual debut: The reported median age for first sexual intercourse was 16 years for boys and 18 years for girls. (While it should be noted that males typically over-report and females typically under-report sexual activity, the use of self-administered questions to collect this information may have reduced this bias.) Overall, the sexual debut of males appears to take place in rather short period of their lifetime – between 15 and 19 years of age. Among females, the rapid increase in sexual activity appears to take place when they are about 17 years of age.

Adolescents reported a number of reasons for delaying their sexual debut. Unmarried male adolescents were divided in their reasons for not initiating sexual activity, with 44 percent citing the lack of opportunity and 38 percent citing the desire to finish school and pursue a career as their main reason for not initiating sexual activity. Among unmarried female adolescents, over 50 percent cited the desire to finish school and pursue a career and 26 percent cited the desire to control their own life as the main reason for not initiating sexual activity. Only 19 percent of unmarried female adolescents indicated that the lack of an opportunity was the main reason they had not initiated sexual activity.

Sexual behavior among unmarried respondents: Overall, 68 percent of all unmarried males and 52 percent of unmarried females were sexually active in the 12 months prior to the survey. Among these sexually active unmarried respondents, half of males and one-quarter of females reported having sex with more than one partner in the past year. Three-quarters of sexually active unmarried respondents used a contraceptive method at last sex. Most unmarried respondents report using condoms, followed by smaller proportions of respondents using oral contraceptives or withdrawal. Few unmarried respondents reported using other types of contraceptive methods.

Sexual behavior among married respondents: Contraceptive use was also high among married couples. Over half of all married respondents reported using a contraceptive method the last time they had sex with their regular partner, with condoms (29 percent), IUDs (18 percent), and pills (15 percent) being the most commonly used methods. Twenty-two percent of married males and 11 percent of married females also reported sexual intercourse with a non-regular partner in the 12 months prior to the survey. Among those respondents having sex with a non-regular partner, 70 percent reported using a condom or other contraceptive method the last time they had sex with a non-regular partner. Condoms were the primary method of choice with non-regular partners.

Overall attitudes toward contraceptive methods were positive, although concerns about side effects may limit their use. Seventy-eight percent of men and 87 percent of women approved of the use of contraceptives. However, fewer than half of all respondents report that they would rather accept some negative effects from contraceptives than take a chance of becoming pregnant. Most respondents did not see any particular obstacles from religious norms and authorities to using contraceptives (only one third of respondents think that religion was against women using family planning methods).

Partner communication on contraceptive: About half of male and female respondents with a current sexual partner reported they had discussed contraceptive methods with their spouse or partner in the past year. Both men and women agreed that a husband and a wife should discuss family planning together; men were more likely to agree with this statement than women. However, 60 percent of men and 40 percent of women agreed that wives should get their husbands’ permission before taking any contraceptives. Few men and women reported that they thought contraceptives were solely a woman’s responsibility. However, there appears to be a gulf between desired behavior and actual behavior. Many couples don't discuss contraception and condoms remain a dominant method of contraception.

Commercial sex: About three percent of sexually active unmarried men and two percent of married men reported they had had sex in exchange for money. Visits to a commercial sex worker were most common among unmarried men between the ages of 23 and 29 years.

Forced sex: One percent of sexually active men and 10 percent of sexually active women reported that they had sexual intercourse against their will (among them, 14 percent were sexually active girls between the ages of 14 and 17 years).

Sexually transmitted infections: Seven percent of men and five percent of women reported having either a genital ulcer or unusual discharge in the 12 months prior to the survey. Respondents who reported having a symptom of a STI in the 12 months prior to the survey were asked what they did after becoming aware of their STI. Women were more likely than men to inform their sexual partners about their STI symptoms and to stop having sex when they had these symptoms. Fifty-six percent of women and 45 percent of men informed their partners about their STI symptom and only 30 percent of women and men stopped having sex with their partners while they had symptom of an STI. Thirty-eight percent of men and 27 percent of women reported using condoms at the time they had STI symptoms. Half of males and one third of females who reported a STI in the past year did not seek any advice or treatment. Forty-six percent of men and 64 percent of women sought treatment for their STI at a health facility.

Pregnancy: In more than half of the cases, the last (or current) pregnancy was unplanned. Among teenagers, almost all last pregnancies were unplanned (91 percent). The share of unplanned pregnancies was also very high among women between the ages of 18-22 years (64% of their last pregnancies were unplanned). But, even for adult women over 22 years of age, most second pregnancies were unplanned.

Abortion: One-fourth of all women in the survey have had an abortion at least once in their life. The level of reported abortion was 1 percent for teenagers and 9 percent for women between the ages of 18 and 22 years old. The median age for having an abortion was 28 years of age. Although the level of abortions in the survey sample was high, the attitudes of respondents towards abortion were very negative: 77 percent of males and 86 percent of females agreed that abortions were much more harmful than any contraceptive method. One quarter of respondents agreed that an abortion is the best solution to an unplanned pregnancy.

What do u know about HIV/AIDS and Sexual Transmitted Infections?

Awareness of HIV/AIDS is universal in both urban and rural areas, with 99% of men and women having heard of HIV/AIDS. Two-thirds of men and women in the four study regions are aware that AIDS can be avoided and three-quarters of men and women knew that a healthy-looking person could be infected with HIV.

Misconceptions about HIV transmission are not very widespread. Among all respondents, six percent believed that HIV can be transmitted by kissing and four percent thought that HIV could be transmitted by mosquitoes. However, only 60 percent of respondents knew that a person can not get HIV/AIDS by sharing a meal with someone infected. Identify Prostate Cancer Warning Signs.

Most respondents knew at least one way HIV/AIDS could be avoided. Seventy-four percent of men and 70 percent of women spontaneously mentioned condom use as a way to protect oneself from HIV. In addition, 45 percent of men and 51 percent of women mentioned without prompting that having one faithful partner could offer protection from HIV/AIDS.

About half of all respondents have received an HIV test at some time in their life. Among people who did not receive an HIV test, 74 percent of men and 77 percent of women knew where they could go for an HIV test.

Communication about HIV/AIDS: Few respondents reported discussing HIV or AIDS with their spouse or sexual partner in the past year. In contrast, 29 percent of male respondents and 30 percent of female respondents reported discussing HIV/AIDS with a friend or relatives in the past year. However, only 11 percent of males and 18 percent of females reported that they discussed HIV/AIDS with a health provider in the past year. Seventy-two percent of respondents recalled seeing something about HIV or AIDS on television. More than half of all respondents had read about HIV or AIDS in a newspaper or magazine.

Awareness of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is also high. Eighty-five percent of men and 91 percent of women were aware of STIs and over 80 percent of respondents could name a specific symptom of STIs. Knowledge of STIs was lowest among respondents between the ages of 14 and 17 years: only 63 percent of teenage males and 73 percent of teenage females had heard of STIs.

Stigma and discrimination against HIV-infected individuals appears to be quite high in the four surveyed regions. Only 16 percent of men and 14 percent of women were willing to buy vegetables from an infected shopkeeper and only 27 percent think that an HIV-infected female teacher should be allowed to continue to teach in school.

Most people in the survey understood that people with HIV/AIDS are treated negatively. Only 20 percent of respondents thought that people with HIV/ AIDS are treated the same as other people in their community. Respondents were divided on how people with HIV/AIDS should be treated. Nearly 40 percent of respondents believe that people with HIV/AIDS should be isolated from others in the community, 33 percent do not think HIV-infected people should be isolated, and 27 percent are unsure whether they should be isolated.

The negative attitudes toward HIV-infected people may be partly explained by the perceived reasons for individuals becoming infected with HIV. More than half of respondents (both male and females) believed that it is a person’s own fault that they became infected with HIV. Two-thirds of respondents believed that most people with HIV/AIDS could have avoided it.