Client participation and provider communication in family planning counselling and the sample study from Turkey

Background?The family planning program in Turkey was established in 1965 to curb the rapid increase in population growth. The last Demographic and Health Survey showed that about 64 % of married women in Turkey used contraception.

Objectives?This study examines of behaviour of family planning clients and provider in Eskisehir/Turkey, to see whether they can achieve this ideal parnership.

Methods?Consultation between 83 physicians, 222 nurses and 324 clients requesting family planning methods were audiotaped and analysed for physicians and nurses communication style. Data were collected from 3 hospital and 14 small health units that give services in Eskisehir. The audiotaped consultations were coded using an adaptation of the RIAS which has been used extensively in both developed and developing countries and in statistical analysing χ² and t test were utilized.

Results and conclusion?The single strongest factor was providers giving biomedical and technical information. The qualitative analysis of audiotapes found that most of clients' questions concern contraceptive side effects and symptoms. The next category social talk, consisted largely of greetings. Most of the providers (87.6 %) are women. The results show that providers dominate most counselling session and clients rarely take on active role.