Vasectomy services in 3 Brazilian clinics: a patient profile and study of decision-making.

This paper summarizes data on vasectomy acceptors at 3 clinics located in Santos Londrina and Ribeirao Preto Brazil. The analysis is based on 225 admission interviews 216 postvasectomy interviews and 75 interviews on the decision-making process in seeking sterilization. In addition the findings from the Brazilian clinics were compared with those from a study of 3000 sterilized men in Houston Texas. The largest proportion (33.3%) of Brazilian men were in the 31-35 year age group while the largest number of wives of sterilization acceptors (39.1%) were 26-30 years of age. 47.1% of men had a secondary or higher education although nationwide only 5.8% of Brazilian men have an educational level this high. 94.2% of the sterilization acceptors were married 48% of them for 6-10 years. 88.5% were Catholic. 52% of the Brazilian vasectomy acceptors had 2 living childred and 31.6% had 3 children. 75% of the vasectomy couples had used oral contraceptives in the past and over half had used condoms rhythm or coitus interruptus suggesting that this population of men had a history of being active in contraceptive practice. The 3 most commonly cited reasons for vasectomy were: do not want more children (35.1%) financial reasons (24.9%) and wifes health (19.6%). Respondents further indicated that they were dissatisfied with the temporary methods of contraception they had used either for reasons of sexual satisfaction or fear of side effects or method failure. Male sterilization was chosen over female sterilization because it was perceived as simpler safer less expensive and more effective. 98.7% of the men had 1st learned of vasectomy at least 6 months before the procedure and 97.3% had had contact with a vasectomized man. Of interest is the finding that men in this study were highly motivated to seek sterilization when their families were small and early in their marriage. These results are consistent with those obtained in the Houston study.