Comparing Factors Influencing Fertility Desire among Urban and Rural families referring to healthcare centers in Ferdows city in ۲۰۲۰

Introduction and objectives: Fertility is among the major components of population, the reduction of which can cause irreparable socioeconomic damage to the country. Unfortunately, the fertility rate is declining and lower than the critical level in Iran. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the factors influencing fertility desire in order to reveal more aspects of this issue.Methodology: This descriptive-analytical study included all the rural and urban families referring to healthcare centers in Ferdows, Iran, ۲۰۲۰. The participants were selected using multi-stage sampling method. Finally, ۴۰۰ married men and women referring to the centers were assessed by the fertility desire scale (FDS). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as Mann-Whitney and Spearman tests by SPSS ۱۹.۰.Results: In this study, ۸۱.۲% of the participants were female, ۵۲.۵% of whom aged ۲۵-۳۵ years old. The mean scores of fertility desire among urban and rural households were۶۶.۶۹±۹.۶۱ and ۶۵.۰۶±۹.۰۸, respectively. In all dimensions of the questionnaire except for childbearing concerns, significant differences were observed between urban and ruralhouseholds (p<۰.۰۵). The viewpoint that life without children is meaningless as well as having the social belief in parental support to have children were the most important positive childbearing motivations.Conclusion: The results, which partially manifested the current situation regarding the desire and lack of desire to have children in urban and rural communities, can be used in population policies in order to build culture and support parents and, thus, increase childbearing desire, especially in rural areas.

کلیدواژه ها:

Childbearing desire ، Factors ، FDS ، families