Table 5.
Comparison of male and female medical interns’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards contraception (n=1996) in Maharashtra, India, 2011
| Statement | Sex female (F) male (M) | Agree or agree completely n* (%) | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contraceptive pills might cause cancer† | F | 652 (77.1) | 74.1 to 79.9 |
| M | 753 (68.0) | 65.2 to 70.8 | |
| Contraceptive pills can cause infertility | F | 150 (17.7) | 15.2 to 20.4 |
| M | 216 (19.5) | 17.2 to 22.0 | |
| Contraceptive pills are inconvenient to use | F | 132 (15.6) | 13.2 to 18.2 |
| M | 149 (13.4) | 11.5 to 15.6 | |
| Emergency contraceptive pills can be used several times a month | F | 76 (9.0) | 7.2 to 11.1 |
| M | 182 (16.5) | 14.3 to 18.8 | |
| Condoms protect against sexually transmitted diseases/HIV | F | 830 (97.9) | 96.7 to 98.7 |
| M | 1056 (95.3) | 93.9 to 96.5 | |
| Traditional contraceptive methods (safe periods, withdrawal) are the best | F | 90 (10.7) | 8.7 to 12.9 |
| M | 163 (14.7) | 12.7 to 16.9 | |
| Contraceptive information should only be for married couples | F | 22 (2.6) | 1.6 to 3.9 |
| M | 37 (3.3) | 2.4 to 4.6 | |
| Doctors working in abortion services have friendly attitudes towards unmarried women | F | 326 (38.5) | 35.2 to 41.9 |
| M | 569 (51.4) | 48.4 to 54.4 | |
| Married couples are shy to talk about contraception with each other | F | 311 (36.7) | 33.5 to 40.1 |
| M | 462 (41.7) | 38.8 to 44.7 | |
| Women feel confident discussing contraception with doctors | F | 350 (41.3) | 37.9 to 44.7 |
| M | 438 (39.5) | 36.6 to 42.5 | |
| Traditional values are barriers for sex education in India | F | 718 (84.8) | 82.2 to 87.1 |
| M | 920 (83.0) | 80.6 to 85.1 | |
| Sex education encourages unmarried people to have sex | F | 88 (10.4) | 8.4 to 12.6 |
| M | 209 (18.8) | 16.6 to 21.3 |
*The number of students does not always total 1996 due to missing answers.
†Italics indicates significant differences.