BackgroundThe GAP between the knowledge of contraception and its actual practice is well recognized in the literature of family welfare studies. The present study assessed the relation between the level of knowledge and practice of contraception among the women and sought to explore the reasons behind the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice - GAP (KAP GAP) regarding contraceptive users in six cities of Uttar Pradesh.MethodPresent analysis based on 17,643 currently married women aged 15 to 49. A Bivariate analysis (χ2 test) and a multivariable logistic regression were performed for the study.ResultThe highest percentages of respondents (women) were in the age group 35–49 (40–45 %) in all the districts considered. Knowledge of contraceptives was almost universal; tubal ligation and pill were the commonly known methods. Information about the contraceptive methods was mostly obtained through the husband. In the present study, there was a highly significant association (p < 0.01) of age group, educational status of respondents, the number of living children, the wealth of the respondent, media exposure and husband’s education with the variable KAP GAP for all six cities. Health concern issues in all the districts were the most prominent reason for not using contraception.ConclusionThere differences in the socioeconomic and demographic factors exist, which lead to KAP GAP in the family planning (FP) usages. Therefore, in designing effective family planning programme, there is a need to understand the various factors which influence the practice of contraception.

Purpose: The whole world is surfaced with an inordinate challenge of mankind due to COVID-19, caused by 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). After taking hundreds of thousands of lives, millions of people are still in the substantial grasp of this virus. This virus is highly contagious with reproduction number R0, as high as 6.5 worldwide and between 1.5 to 2.6 in India. So, the number of total infections and the number of deaths will get a day-to-day hike until the curve flattens. Under the current circumstances, it becomes inevitable to develop a model, which can anticipate future morbidities, recoveries, and deaths. Methods: We have developed some models based on ARIMA and FUZZY time series methodology for the forecasting of COVID-19 infections, mortalities and recoveries in India and Maharashtra explicitly, which is the most affected state in India, following the COVID-19 statistics till “Lockdown 3.0” (17th May 2020). Results: Both models suggest that there will be an exponential uplift in COVID-19 cases in the near future. We have forecasted the COVID-19 data set for next seven days. The forecasted values are in good agreement with real ones for all six COVID-19 scenarios for Maharashtra and India as a whole as well.Conclusion: The forecasts for the ARIMA and FUZZY time series models will be useful for the policymakers of the health care systems so that the system and the medical personnel can be prepared to combat the pandemic.

Background: Reproductive choice is one of the rights of any woman, but women are often ambivalent towards fertility desires and choice of contraception. Our study explores how the change in fertility desires influence the change in use of modern contraception over time in six cities of Uttar Pradesh, India. Methods: Data for this study comes from the Measurement, Learning and Evaluation (MLE) Project for Urban Health Initiative in six cities of Uttar Pradesh. Our study sample consists of 8735 women (weighted n=8655) who were fertile, non-sterilized and non-pregnant at the time of baseline survey. Potential bias due to lost to follow up was addressed using inverse probability weighing and then generalized estimating equations were applied to get odds for change in use of modern contraceptives.  Results: Contraceptive use increased by different magnitudes from baseline to endline across all six cities. At baseline and endline, women who desired no more children reported a higher use of modern contraception than those who desired more children over time. Women from all cities who desired no more children at baseline had higher odds of modern contraceptive use than that of women who desired more children. The tempo of change in use of modern contraception over time among women with different fertility desires differed across the considered cities. Conclusion: Although there were city-wise differences observed, women’s fertility intentions have an impact on their use of modern contraceptives over the time period between baseline to endline. To obtain greater insight into city-level differences, mixed method studies will be more effective.

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