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This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from Lao PDR statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from Lao statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other Lao-specific metadata information.

Goal

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Target

3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including for family planning information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.

Indicator

3.7.1 Percentage of women of reproductive age (aged 15-49) who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods

Series

Percentage of women of reproductive age

Metadata update

1 May 2021

Related indicators

Target 3.8 (Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all)

Target 5.6 (Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences)

Data reporter

Lao Statistics Bureau

Organisation

Lao Statistics Bureau

Contact person(s)

Mr.Vilaysook SISOULATH

Contact organisation unit

Department of Social Statistics

Contact person function

Deputy Director General

Contact phone

+856 20 55 795 043

+856 21 214 740

Contact mail

N/A

Contact email

vilaysooks@gmail.com

lstats@lsb.gov.la

Definition and concepts

Definition:

The percentage of women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who desire either to have no (additional) children or to postpone the next child and who are currently using a modern method of contraception. The indicator is also referred to as the demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods.

Concepts:

The percentage of women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who have their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods is also referred to as the proportion of demand satisfied by modern methods. The components of the indicator are contraceptive prevalence (any method and modern methods) and unmet need for family planning.

Contraceptive prevalence is the percentage of women who are currently using, or whose partner is currently using, at least one method of contraception, regardless of the method used.

For analytical purposes, contraceptive methods are often classified as either modern or traditional. Modern methods of contraception include female and male sterilization, the intra-uterine device (IUD), the implant, injectables, oral contraceptive pills, male and female condoms, vaginal barrier methods (including the diaphragm, cervical cap and spermicidal foam, jelly, cream and sponge), lactational amenorrhea method (LAM), emergency contraception and other modern methods not reported separately (e.g., the contraceptive patch or vaginal ring). Traditional methods of contraception include rhythm (e.g., fertility awareness-based methods, periodic abstinence), withdrawal and other traditional methods not reported separately.

Unmet need for family planning is defined as the percentage of women of reproductive age, either married or in a union, who want to stop or delay childbearing but are not using any method of contraception. The standard definition of unmet need for family planning includes women who are fecund and sexually active in the numerator, and who report not wanting any (more) children, or who report wanting to delay the birth of their next child for at least two years or are undecided about the timing of the next birth, but who are not using any method of contraception. The numerator also includes pregnant women whose pregnancies were unwanted or mistimed at the time of conception; and postpartum amenorrheic women who are not using family planning and whose last birth was unwanted or mistimed. Further information on the operational definition of the unmet need for family planning, as well as survey questions and statistical programs needed to derive the indicator, can be found at the following website: http://measuredhs.com/Topics/Unmet-Need.cfm .

Unit of measure

percent (%)

Data sources

The Lao Social Indicator Survey

Data collection method

The Lao Social Indicator Survey II (LSIS II) was carried out in 2017 by Lao Statistics Bureau (LSB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education and Sport, as part of the Global Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) Programme. Data are collected through household survey-anthropometric measurement.

Sampling approach: Two-stage, stratified cluster sampling.

Questionnaires:

Type of interview: Face-to-face. MICS survey utilized Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) starting in 2017 round.

Fieldwork duration: 06 July to 06 November 2017

Data processing. The data collection application was based on the CSPro (Census and Survey Processing System) software, Version 6.3, including a MICS dedicated data management platform. Procedures and standard programs2 developed under the global MICS programme and adapted to the LSIS II, 2017 questionnaire were used throughout. The CAPI application was tested in Vientiane Capital and Vientiane Province in January. Based on the results of the CAPI-test, modifications were made to the questionnaires and application.

Training: Training for the fieldwork was conducted for 31 days between June and July 2017. Training included lectures on interviewing techniques and the contents of the questionnaires, and mock interviews between trainees to gain practice in asking questions. Participants first completed full training on paper questionnaires, followed by training on the CAPI application. The trainees spent three days in field practice and one day on a full pilot survey in Vientiane province. The training agenda was based on the standard MICS6 training agenda.

Enumerators (data collectors) received dedicated training on anthropometric measurements and water quality testing for a total of seven days, including three days in field practice and pilot survey. Field Supervisors attended additional training on the duties of team supervision and responsibilities.

Fieldwork: The data were collected by 25 teams; each was comprised of four interviewers, one driver, two measurers and a supervisor. Fieldwork began in July 2017 and concluded in November 2017. Data was collected using tablet computers running the Windows 10 operating system, utilising a Bluetooth data transfer application for field operations, enabling transfer of assignments and completed questionnaires between supervisor’s and interviewer’s tablets.

For detailed methodology, please see the survey report.

(Link provided in the reference section).

Data collection calendar

Every five years, next collection period will be from July to November 2022

Data release calendar

one year after the reference year, next release will be in November 2023

Data providers

Lao Statistics Bureau

Data compilers

Lao Statistics Bureau

Institutional mandate

Data collection, processing, dissemination and use of statistics for this indicator is in accordance with the Statistics Law 2017; the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Statistical System (NSSDSS) 2016-2020; and the Vision for 2030.

Rationale

The proportion of demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods is useful in assessing overall levels of coverage for family planning programmes and services. Access to and use of an effective means to prevent pregnancy helps enable women and their partners to exercise their rights to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information, education and means to do so. Meeting demand for family planning with modern methods also contributes to maternal and child health by preventing unintended pregnancies and closely spaced pregnancies, which are at higher risk for poor obstetrical outcomes. Levels of demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods of 75 per cent or more are generally considered high, and values of 50 per cent or less are generally considered as very low.

Method of computation

The numerator is the percentage of women of reproductive age (15-49 years old) who are currently using, or whose partner is currently using, at least one modern contraceptive method.

The denominator is the total demand for family planning (the sum of contraceptive prevalence (any method) and the unmet need for family planning).

Validation

Standard data review and validation protocols were implemented from data collection, processing, calculation to finalization and publication of the results of the survey.

Likewise, consultation process with line ministries and partner agencies on the national data submitted for the SDGs Indicators were conducted prior to the publication of results

Quality management

Managing the quality of the indicator is guided by the Lao PDR Statistics Law of 2017 and in accordance with the recommendations of the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics

Quality assurance

Team supervisors were responsible for the daily monitoring of fieldwork. Mandatory re-interviewing was implemented on one household per cluster. Daily observations of interviewer skills and performance was conducted. During the fieldwork period, each team was visited multiple times by survey management team members and field visits were arranged.

Throughout the fieldwork, field check tables (FCTs) were produced weekly for analysis and action with field teams. The FCTs were customized versions of the standard tables produced by the MICS Programme.

These steps are taken to ensure quality of outputs produced is at par with international standards.

Quality assessment

In general, the quality of the survey results is considered high given the quality management and standards implemented along with the high response rates for all age groups covered in the basic data source used for obtaining the value for this SDG indicator

Data availability and disaggregation

LSIS has been conducted at five-year intervals since 2011-2012. Hence, data are available for 2012 and 2017.

Disaggregated by Location (Urban/Rural) and Wealth Quintile.

References and Documentation

The Lao Social Indicator Survey II, 2017
https://www.unicef.org/laos/media/306/file/LSIS2017ENG.pdf

The UNSD SDG Indicators, Metadata repository https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/

Lao PDR Statistics Law, 2017
https://www.lsb.gov.lahttps://www.lsb.gov.la

This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.