Contraceptive Use in a Changing Service Environment: Evidence from Indonesia during the Economic Crisis

PWP-CCPR-2003-001

Abstract

In the late 1990s most Southeast Asian nations experienced substantial economic downturns that reduced social sector spending and decreased individuals’ spending power.  Using unusually rich data from Indonesia collected in 1997 (just before the crisis) and in 1998 (during the crisis), we examine changes in the contraceptive supply environment and in women’s choices regarding contraceptive use.  Despite substantial changes in provider characteristics during the first year of the crisis, we find no statistically significant differences between 1997 and 1998 in overall levels of prevalence, in unmet need, or in method mix.  Women’s choices regarding source of contraceptive supplies, however, changed considerably over the period.  We link changes in the supply environment to changes in women’s choice of source of supply and find that a number of provider characteristics are significantly associated with women’s choice of contraceptive source of supply.