Demography of the world's regions: situation and trends Age Difference between Spouses and Contraceptive Practice in Sub-Saharan Africa |
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The data used for the study is a set of recent Demographic and Health Surveys in eighteen countries of mainland sub-Saharan Africa. The statistical relationship between age differences between spouses and contraceptive practice is tested using logistic regression models controlling for both individual and contextual variables. The main finding is that the largest age differences between spouses (15 years and over) are associated with low contraceptive use, probably because a large difference reflects women’s reduced decision-making power and a weak marital bond. Other results show the significant impact of community characteristics on the relationship.