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Social media encourages family planning decisions, study says

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THUMBNAIL

Izzy Lee

ABS-CBN News

<div></div>Social media plays a pivotal role in motivating individuals to seek family planning services and commodities, according to a study conducted by the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), in collaboration with Bayer Philippines Inc. and The Forum. The research, revealed during a press conference on Thursday in celebration with World Contraception Day 2024, explored how digital platforms are influencing family planning decisions in the country. &quot;Our goal is to enable young people to make informed choices, understand sexual and reproductive health by empowering choices one decision at a time,&quot; said Bayer Philippines&#x27; Managing Director and Pharmaceuticals Division Head Angel Michael Evangelista. &quot;While social media can be a double-edged sword, the spread of information or misinformation, there is greater potential with it as the means for sharing expert-level information,&quot; Evangelista added. <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/2/1/social-media-s-population-breaks-through-5-billion-study-845" id="isPasted">Social media&#x27;s population breaks through 5 billion: study</a> </div>The study looked at three main outcomes: how many people consulted for family planning, how many used any family planning method, and how many chose modern artificial methods. Two surveys were conducted on Facebook from October 2023 to January 2024, with 1,336 respondents (ages 15 to 49), most of whom visited the pages for family planning information. The digital platforms analyzed included CPD’s &quot;Usap Tayo Family Planning&quot; Facebook page and Bayer’s &quot;Ask Mara&quot; chatbot/helpline. After engaging with these platforms, individuals were able to make informed decisions about accessing family planning services. The results showed that 77% to 79% of people who saw the information went on to consult or get counseling for family planning. Even more, around 92 to 96% chose to use some form of family planning. After seeing the content on Facebook, people were split between choosing modern natural methods and modern artificial methods. <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/19/reproductive-health-info-available-online-cpd-1825" id="isPasted">Reproductive health info available online: CPD </a> </div>Respondents expressed preference for digital materials that presented various family planning methods, particularly when the information was conveyed through video formats. The study also identified barriers that prevented some individuals from availing any method. These included the need for more information or time to make a decision, financial constraints, difficulty finding a preferred health facility, and the need to discuss options with the partner. The study recommends maximizing the use of social media as a tool to influence family planning decisions by sharing reliable information effectively. Kevin de Vera, Director for Program and Advocacy at The Forum, meanwhile raised concerns about the timing of sex education. &quot;In terms of principle, &#x27;yung sex education binibigay at least 3 years bago mangyari sa kanya ‘yung phenomenon na ‘yun sa buhay niya. Pero kadalasan 40 years old nag-e-explore pa din... Hindi ba’t dapat tayo ay mabahala din?... Mas may alam tayo mas kaya nating gumawa ng mahahalagang pagpapasya para sa ating sarili at buhay,&quot; he said. (In principle, sex education is given at least 3 years before that phase happens in someone&#x27;s life. But often, people are still exploring it at 40 years old. Shouldn&#x27;t we be concerned about this, too? The more we know, the better we can make important decisions for ourselves and our lives.) <div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/4/filipinos-delaying-marriage-having-children-amid-economic-instability-cpd-1318" id="isPasted">Filipinos delaying marriage, having children amid economic instability: CPD</a> </div>The Philippines continues to rank relatively high in terms of unplanned pregnancy rates, placing 56th out of 160 countries. &quot;This day reminds us of the vision of the world where every pregnancy is planned and wanted,&quot; said Lisa Grace Bersales, Undersecretary and Executive Director of CPD.

Social media plays a pivotal role in motivating individuals to seek family planning services and commodities, according to a study conducted by the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), in collaboration with Bayer Philippines Inc. and The Forum.

Social media plays a pivotal role in motivating individuals to seek family planning services and commodities, according to a study conducted by the Commission on Population and Development (CPD), in collaboration with Bayer Philippines Inc. and The Forum.