Study of the use of contraceptives by a town and a country population of northern Italy

Data on use of contraceptives in 2 populations 1 town and 1 country in Northern Italy were collected by questionnaires when women came into clinics for regular Pap tests. Questions were age occupation age at first intercourse parity and contraceptive used at time of interview. There was no significant difference in age distribution between Verona (town) and Chiari (country) responders. When grouped by education the town had significantly higher attainment. Of 639 Verona women 31.8% used coitus interruptus whereas of 172 country women 49.5% used this method. The pill was used by 30.2% in Verona compared with 19.7% in Chiari. Age and educational status were related to contraceptive choice: younger women and more educated women used more moderm means of contraception than coitus interruptus. Parity was also related to choice: as the number of children increased the number of women using traditional methods also increased in Chiari but such a finding was not present in the Verona population. When socioeconomic status (i.e. professional commercial or housewife) was the factor studied the largest percentage of women using modern (IUD and pill) methods of contraception was among professional women. Economic and social characteristics of populations influence contraceptive choice.