Women account for 97% of visits to clinics for family planning in 2022

Some 97 per cent of visits to health clinics for family planning services in 2022 were done by women, according to new government data which raises more questions about how Jamaica will confront poor health-seeking behaviours by men. 

The information is contained in the 2022 Economic and Social Survey Jamaica (ESSJ), which was released last month by the Planning Institute of Jamaica. 

The data revealed that 146,050 visits were made to clinics in 2022, a 16 per cent decrease compared with the corresponding period in 2021.

The total number of visits by females to health facilities for the period was 142,064 and for males, 3,986.

Female and male visits fell by 16 per cent and 36 per cent compared with 2021.

The parishes of Kingston & St Andrew (25,215), followed by St James (11,049) reported the highest number of visits for both females and males.

Portland reported the least number of female clients for the period at 4,607 — an 11 per cent increase compared with 2021.

Data also showed that in Portland, no men accessed family planning clinics during the year, compared with 136 in 2021.

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