Socioeconomic Predictors of Number of Child Preference; a Study on the Ethnic Community in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is a most densely populated nation, with a population density of 1134 population per square kilometer [1]. Bangladesh has to face different types of problem and crisis for limited resources and unlimited wants of the increased population. Despite of being concerned about the present situation, the fertility rate is now at 2.4 children born per women [2]. The objective of the study is to estimate the socio-economic factors responsible for the Number of Child Preference in the Ethnic Community in Bangladesh. The study analyzed a total of 113 (82 Manipuri & 31 Khasia) respondents from Manipuri and Khasia community purposively selected from Sylhet district. The information was recorded in a pre-structured questionnaire. Bi-variate distribution i.e. chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression model were fitted to determine the influencing factors responsible for the Number of Child Preference in the Ethnic Community. Educational Status, Head of the Family, Contraceptive Use, and Family Planning Decision were found correlated with the dependent variable i.e. Number of Child Preference. All of the illiterate respondents were interested in having more than 1 child while only 7.84% literate respondents were interested in having 1 child. The family which was run by mutual understanding between male and female was more interested in 1 child (8.33%) than the Male dominated family (5.88%). No one was interested in having 4 or more children from the family which was run by both male and female. Those who used contraceptive, 13.33% of them were interested in 1 child while only 2.94% of the respondents who didn’t use contraceptive were interested in 1 child. The preference for 4 or more children was less among the respondents who used contraceptive (2.22%) than who didn’t use contraceptive (4.41%). If the family planning decision was taken by female, they would prefer 4 or more children for their family while male would prefer 2 children. If the family planning decision was taken by mutual consideration of male and female, 78.70% would prefer 2 children followed by 11.11% of 3 children, 7.41% of 1 child, and 2.78% of 4 or more children. Contraceptive Use was found only the predictors of the Number of Child Preference in the Ethnic community. Finally, this study suggested that government can take a strong initiative for the provision of contraceptive use and educational facilities to control the family size of the Ethnic community.