This paper examines the effects of exposure to mass media messages promoting family planning on the reproductive behaviour of married women in Nigeria using cross-sectional data. Longitudinal data are also used to ensure that exposure to media messages pre-dates the indicators of reproductive behaviour. Cross-sectional analysis suggests that: (1) contraceptive use and intention are positively associated with exposure to mass media messages, and (2) women who are exposed to media messages are more likely to desire fewer children than those who are not exposed to such messages. Similarly, analysis of the longitudinal data shows that exposure to mass media messages is a significant predictor of contraceptive use. Thus, exposure to mass media messages about family planning may be a powerful tool for influencing reproductive behaviour in Nigeria.
PIP: Findings are reported from an examination of the effects of exposure to mass media messages promoting family planning on the reproductive behavior of married women in Nigeria. Cross-sectional and longitudinal data are used. The cross-sectional data on 6696 married women were drawn from the 1990 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), while the longitudinal data come from interviews with a NDHS subsample of 770 married women aged 15-44 years in both 1990 and 1993. These latter residents in Lagos and Oyo states were first interviewed in the 1990 NDHS, then re-interviewed during August-October 1993 to determine the relationship between exposure to media messages in 1990 and the same women's subsequent contraceptive behavior three years later. The analysis of cross-sectional data suggests that contraceptive use and intention are positively associated with exposure to mass media messages and women who are exposed to media messages are more likely to desire fewer children than those who are not exposed to such messages. Analysis of the longitudinal data also indicates that exposure to mass media messages is a significant predictor of contraceptive use.