Belete, Habtamu (PhD)Molla, Getahun2022-03-212023-11-182022-03-212023-11-182009-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/12345678/30721The level of unmel need for FP for Africa is Ihe highest of all continenls of the world. Besides ils importance in meeting demographic goals, meeting the need of wOlI/en with ullmel need is believed to protect women from the health risk of unwanted pregnancy and provides them Ihe opportunity 10 improve their own lives. The objective of the study was to examine the underlying facial's of unmet need for fa lllily planning among currently married Wall/en of reproductive age in Kobbo woreda. A community based cross sectional study was employed. A multi-stage sampling procedure was carried oul 10 interview 692 women in Ihe sludy area. Quantitative as well as qualitative data were obtained using struclured questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informants interview. Univariate, bi-variate and multivariate technique were used in the analysis. Demographic, socio-econolllic and family planning variables were used as explanatOlY variables while the dependent variable is ulllnet need for family planning. Most women 681 (98. 4%) knew 01 least one modern FP method. Aroulld 58% of wall/en have never discussed wilh husbands about issues concerningfamily planning. It is also indicated thai 52.6% of women have never discussed with health workers and 47.4% of women have discussed with health workers at least once in the past three 1II0nths. Regarding Ihe need status fur family planning, 47.3% of women have unmet need for family planning and 38% of women have met Iheir need (currenlly using contraceptives). Unmet need for family planning is highest among women who are in the early reproduclive age (I5-24), who have no educQ(ion, live in rural areas, who got nWI-ried before the legal age at first marriage «18), have more number of living children (5 and above), have no or /illie knowledge of FP and have never discussed FP issues with their husband and health workers. Age at first marriage, number of living children, spousal discussion and discussion with health workers abouL family plwllIing were fO l11ld to be the most ill/portanl detenninanlS of I/Umetneedforfall/ily planning in the study area. The study recommends that integrated falllily planning information, education and communication programs and stralegies aiming at encouraging comillunication between couples, changing husband's altitude and their active involvement in the program; expand access to family planning services in rural areas and ill/prove contraceptive method mix could possibly help to address wOlllen wilh In,,net need. Moreover, discussion of women with health workers, particularly heallh extension workers, and improving age at marriage could effectively reduce the level of III/met need.enThesis