. 2023 Jan 26;3(1):e0000832. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000832

Table 2. Definition and measurement of the dependent variable.

Dependent variable	Definition and measurement
Women’s autonomy in decision-making for SRHR	Women’s autonomy is defined as the capacity of women aged 15–49 years old in decision-making and exercising their sexual and reproductive health rights making their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use, and reproductive health care [15]. In NDHS 2016, responses to three specific questions were used to measure the level of autonomy in decision-making and exercise of their SRHR: Can you say no to your (husband/partner) if you do not want to have sexual intercourse? Would you say that using contraception is mainly your decision, your (husband’s/partner’s) decision, or did you both decide together? Who usually makes decisions about health care for yourself? Women are considered to be autonomous if they say “yes” to question 1, “your decision” to question 2, and “you” to question 3 [15]. This is the composite indicator of decision-making about sexual intercourse with their husband or partner, decision for using contraceptive, and decision-making in receiving reproductive health care services [15, 21, 22].

Dependent variable

Definition and measurement

Women’s autonomy in decision-making for SRHR

Women’s autonomy is defined as the capacity of women aged 15–49 years old in decision-making and exercising their sexual and reproductive health rights making their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use, and reproductive health care [15]. In NDHS 2016, responses to three specific questions were used to measure the level of autonomy in decision-making and exercise of their SRHR:

Can you say no to your (husband/partner) if you do not want to have sexual intercourse?
Would you say that using contraception is mainly your decision, your (husband’s/partner’s) decision, or did you both decide together?
Who usually makes decisions about health care for yourself?

Women are considered to be autonomous if they say “yes” to question 1, “your decision” to question 2, and “you” to question 3 [15]. This is the composite indicator of decision-making about sexual intercourse with their husband or partner, decision for using contraceptive, and decision-making in receiving reproductive health care services [15, 21, 22].