Jf. Phillips et al., THE LONG-TERM DEMOGRAPHIC ROLE OF COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY-PLANNING IN RURAL BANGLADESH, Studies in family planning, 27(4), 1996, pp. 204-219
Experimental studies demonstrating the effectiveness of nonclinical di
stribution of contraceptives are typically conducted in settings where
contraceptive use is low and unmet need is extensive. Determining the
long-term role of active outreach programs after initial demand is me
t represents an increasingly important policy issue in Asia, where con
traceptive prevalence is high and fixed service points are convenientl
y available. This article examines the long-term rationale for househo
ld family planning in Bangladesh-where growing use of contraceptives,
rapid fertility decline, and normative change in reproductive preferen
ces are in progress, bringing into question the rationale for large-sc
ale deployment of paid outreach workers. Longitudinal data are analyze
d that record outreach encounters and contraceptive-use dynamics in a
large rural population Findings demonstrate that outreach has a contin
uing impact on program effectiveness, even after a decade of household
visitation. The policy implications of this finding are reviewed.