THE EFFECT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE COUNSELING ON CHILD-SPACING AMONG RURAL MOTHERS

Abstract

Child-spacing and or family planning is acknowledge in most countries to be an effective way of improving the health of months and children and to be an important factor in achieving population equilibrium. It Js, moreover, considered a basic human right for women and men to be allowed to decide the number and spacing of their children, however, making family planning widely available continuos to pose a number of challenges. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge attitudes and practice of young rural \vomen toward contraception; to identify decision- makers in relation to child spacing within the family; to develop and implement an education program for young rural women anddecision- maker, followed by counseling for acceptors of family planning; and to evaluate the possible effectiveness of the counseling 011 child-spacing. Data were collected from a quota sample of mothers at Shubra-Bas inte.srrated rural hospital, Menoufiya Governorate. The 200 mothers were interviewed to assess . their knowledge, attitude and practice toward •contraceptive methods at pre, post and retention test three months later.