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| Authors | J Mizzi P Tufigno N Calleja |
| Abstract | The Cana Movement has been training couples in Natural Family Planning (NFP) methods for a number of years, in its efforts to support and to strengthen the Maltese family. This audit aims to evaluate this education programme, including current use and perception of NFP methods. An anonymous postal survey was carried out among all those who took part in NFP courses between 1995 and 2004. In addition, results are compared to data drawn from the Health Interview Survey (HIS) carried out by the Department of Health Information in 2002 on a representative sample of the Maltese population. This survey included a question on use of contraceptives or family planning methods. The great majority of the NFP respondent population (62%) had been married for 5 to 10 years, and aged mostly between 30 and 35 years. A large group of female respondents described themselves as housewives (49%). All women had achieved at least to secondary education. The top two occupational groups among male respondents were professionals (20%) and skilled labourers (19%). Most respondents (49%) reported having made extensive use of the learnt methods. There are no significant differences by age group (p=0.223). Similarly, 57% find NFP methods to be very reliable with no significant age difference (p=0.129), but this proportion peaks to 75% in 40-45 year old women. HIS figures show an increasing proportion of respondents opting for NFP with increasing age, with a minimum of 19% of women aged between 16 and 25 years up to 34% between 46 and 55 years. Indeed, the three most popular methods in the younger two age groups: 16 to 25 and 26 to 35 years, are NFP, condoms and withdrawal, with the latter method being the most popular in the older age group and condoms being preferred by the younger group. |
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| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | 15 Issue 1-2/suppl. 2003 |
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| Key words | audit, training, usage, natural family planning |