Diarrheal disease control and family planning: the status of women and community participation.

TLDR: Current campaigns for diarrheal disease control and family planning from the perspective of the social and educational status of women in Turkey are discussed, suggesting that the way women cope with their infants and with fertility control is directly related to their status.

Abstract: This article discusses current campaigns for diarrheal disease control and family planning from the perspective of the social and educational status of women in Turkey. Survey data indicate that infant mortality is highest in regions with highest illiteracy rates; similarly acceptance of family planning in 1 region was 79% among literate women but only 24% among illiterate women. These findings suggest that the way women cope with their infants and with fertility control is directly related to their status. Mothers require education in these areas and support. Particularly effective is a self-help approach that relies on the unofficial or traditional sector of society including the indigenous female lay care network. The traditional birth attendant is often a key person in this network. In a pilot project in Turkey trained midwives taught birth attendants the basic principles of diarrheal disease control and family planning. The selected women then educated the other women of the village through the usual means of communication of the female network. The project found marked improvement in knowledge and practice in diarrheal disease control and family planning and a sense of empowerment among village women. Thus it is recommended that both social marketing and self-help methods be used in Turkeys primary health care campaigns.