1. Premarital Sexual Activities and Awareness of
Emergency Contraception: A Study of Men in
Tamil Nadu, India
Ramesh Chellan
New Delhi
INDIA

2. Objectives
 To assess the premarital sexual activities and awareness of
emergency contraception among men in Tamil Nadu, India.
 To examine the differentials by the selected socio-
economic, demographic, and community factors in the
premarital sexual activities and awareness of emergency
contraception among men.
 To estimate influences of various factors on premarital
sexual activities and awareness of emergency contraception
among men in Tamil Nadu, India.

3. The Study Area and Data Source
• The study focuses on the Villupuram distirct in Tamil
Nadu, India.
• The study covered a sample of 343 men in the age group of 18-
54 years reside in 3873 households in Villupuram
district, Tamil Nadu.
• The field survey was carried out between May 2007 and
October 2007.

4. Sample Design for Primary Data Collection
Tamil Nadu State
Villupuram District
DLHS-RCH-2 Sample villages Village
(N=28) Selected 10 (n)
40 Households from each selected
village (n=343 men of Household
reproductive ages interviewed)
 Out of 28 villages, 10 villages were selected by systematic random sampling
after arranging then in ascending order by distance from the villages to the
nearest PHC.
 From each village, 40 households selected after stratification by principal
occupation and male of reproductive age selected.

5. The Study Area
JAMMU & KASHMIR
N
HIMACHAL PRADESH
PUNJAB
CHANDIGARH
UTTARANCHAL
HARYANA
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
DELHI
SIKKIM
RAJASTHAN UTTAR PRADESH ASSAM NAGALAND
BIHAR MEGHALAYA
MANIPUR
TRIPURA
JHARKHAND MIZORAM
WEST BENGAL
GUJARAT MADHYA PRADESH
CHHATTISGARH
DAMAN & DIU
DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI ORISSA
MAHARASHTRA
ANDHRA PRADESH
GOA
KARNATAKA
Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu
TAMIL NADU
KERALA

7. Methodology
 Bivariate Analysis
 Multivariate Analysis
 Logistic Regression Model

8. Predictor variables Explanatory variables
• Premarital sexual activities • Religion
• Awareness of emergency • Caste
contraception • Men’s education
• Occupation of men
• Standard of living
• Age of men
• Marital status
• Age at first marriage
• Travel from one place to other place
• Number of usual members
• Number of films seen (in month)
• Exposed to mass media
• Distance of village from district HQ
• Frequency of bus services
• Availability of school facility
• Availability of health facility

9. Findings from the Study

10. Premarital Sex among men, Tamil Nadu, India
Percentage of men has premarital sex
Percentage of men has premarital sex wth

11. Awareness of Emergency Contraception among men, Tamil
Nadu, India

12. Men Aware of Different Locations to Get Condom
Location Percentage
At least one location 84.8
Public hospital 48.7
Medical shop 59.5
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) 0.9
Other 49.9
Number of Men 343

13. Findings from Bivariate Analysis

14. Bivariate analysis for premarital sex and awareness of EC
Background Characteristics Premarital sex Awareness of EC
Religion Hindu Marginal
Caste SC/ST Marginal
Men’s education Illiterate 11 + years of schooling
Occupation of men Agriculture Agriculture
Standard of living High High
Age of men Marginal 40 +
Marital status Marginal Never married
Age at first marriage 21-23 24 +
Travel from one place to other place Marginal Daily
Number of usual members Marginal Marginal
Number of films seen 1+ 1+
Exposed to mass media Full exposure Full exposure
Distance of village from district HQ 51 + 51 +
Frequency bus services 6+ Marginal
Availability of school facility Marginal Marginal
Availability of health facility With no health Marginal
facility
Table: Premarital Table: EC

15. Findings from Multivariate Analysis

16. Results of Logistic Regression for Influence of Socio-Economic and
Demographic and Community Factors on Premarital sex
 Has significant effect of
• Premarital sex is more likely among SC/ST than OBC,
Occupation of men (agriculture labourers and cultivators) than
other workers, men in the age group of 40 and above than 30-39
years, those watch cinema at least once in a month than who do
not watch cinema.
 No significant effect of
• Religion, men’s education, standard of living, marital status/age at
first marriage, travel from one place to other place, number of
usual members, exposed to mass media, distance of villages from
districts HQ, frequency of bus services, availability of school
facility, and availability of health facility.
Table: Premarital_multi

17. Results of Logistic Regression for Influence of Socio-Economic and
Demographic and Community Factors on awareness of emergency
contraception among men
 Has significant effect of
• Awareness of emergency contraception is more likely among
Men’s education (6-10 and 11+ years of schooling) than
illiterate, high standard of living than low, those living in the
village with < 25 and 26-50 than 51+, those living in the village
with secondary and above school than up to middle school.
• Men in the age group of 40 and above than 30-39 are less likely to
be aware of emergency contraception.
 No significant effect of
• Religion, Caste, occupation of men, marital status/age at first
marriage, travel from one place to other place, number of usual
members, exposed to mass media, frequency of bus services, and
availability of health facility.
Table: EC_multi

18. Conclusions
• High reporting of premarital sexual experience among men in
the study area. Among those who had reported about premarital
sex, majority of men had relations with commercial sex workers,
unknown girl or women, and relatives.
• The study is also observed levels of awareness of emergency
contraception is very high.
• The likelihood to have premarital sex is high among SC/ST men,
those who are cultivator or engaged as agriculture labourers, men
in the age of 40 and above years, and those who watch cinema at
least once in a month.
• Men with 6 and above years of schooling and with high standard
of living have significantly high awareness of emergency
contraceptives.

19. Ways forward
• More attention must be given on informed choice of family
planning, quality of care and information regarding safe sex.
Behavioural change can be possible only through proper
advocacy and counceling through public health system.
• The focus should be paid more to socially marginalized and
illiterate population in the rural area who are neglected in
health care services.
• More than half of men do not aware of condom is available at
public health facilities, whereas condom is available free at
public health facilities. The reproductive and child health
programme should be provide awareness of family planning
including condom among men through development and
dissemination of BCC-IEC materials by grass root level health
workers .

20. … Thank you