ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors focus on cultural differences in physicians’ perceptions of contraceptive methods and the effects of those perceptions on physicans’ behavior. They include both modern methods and natural family planning methods in their investigation. The investigation involved a team of researchers from six countries, who collected data in four developing countries: Mauritius, Peru, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. The data were used to develop a protocol for use in all four countries, to assess physicians’ knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral willingness regarding a variety of family planning methods, including natural methods. The authors' analysis of the data focused on four areas of interest: first, the physicians’ perceptions of various contraceptive methods; second, relationships among types of methods; third, basic data on prevalence and acceptance rates for natural and other family planning methods; and fourth, the relationship between physicians’ perceptions of a method and their recommendation that a patient use or not use it.
