Does cosmopolitan culture weaken ethnic and regional diversity: contraceptive behaviours of women in Istanbul, Turkey

Objective: The primary aim of the study was to examine the relationship between self-reported ethnic identity, region of birth and contraceptive use, in Istanbul, Turkey. Methods: Cross-sectional data from a random sample of 3038 married women of reproductive age living in two urban districts of Istanbul were used in a series of logistic regression models to assess key relationships. Results: Kurdish ethnic minority women were less likely than Turkish ethnic majority women to use traditional contraceptive methods over no method (relative risk ratio [RRR] 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50, 0.96). However, there were no significant differences between ethnicities (i.e., Turkish, Kurdish and other) and modern method use. Among Turkish women, those born in regions farther away from the western region were more likely to use traditional methods (RRR_northern 2.06; 95% CI 1.31, 3.22). Conclusion: While Kurdish ethnic minority women were less likely to use traditional methods, compared with Turkish ethnic majority women, the difference might have been due to the length of time living in a neighbourhood. Regional variations in contraceptive use were concentrated only among Turkish ethnic majority women and for traditional methods. Regional norms of traditional method use may be a barrier to modern contraceptive use in Turkey.