PRESENTATION OF THE SURVEY RESULTS

A description of the tool

      The research tool is the "Reproductive Health" poll.
It consists of a short specification (the surveyed woman's age, education, place of residence and marital status) and of 58 questions organised in 10 modules:

1. The fist visit to a gynecologist - questions 05 to 08
2. Subsequent visits to a gynecologist - questions 09 to 15
3. Methods of pregnancy prevention, i.e. contraceptive methods - questions 16 to 23
4. An own (regular) doctor - questions 24 to 30
5. Childbirth - questions 31 to 43
6. Sterilization and abortion - questions 44 to 47
7. Women-specific diseases - questions 48 to 52
8. Availability of medical examinations - question 53
9. Menopause - questions 54 to 57
10. Sexual education - questions 58 to 62.

      The poll questions are short, an empty box left for the answers. After every question set the surveyed women were encouraged to contribute additional remarks concerning particular issues which were important to them, but which had been left out in the survey. Characteristically fair number of the women used this opportunity. Most of them made additional statements that fell under the subject matter of questions and answers already covered by the poll, though, complementing in their own words the information they were asked for. The most interesting statements are included in extenso in the present analysis.
      In general many of the free statements, although often not contributing essential factual data, can be said to constitute sort of a return information from the responding women, showing that the poll was warmly welcomed and stimulated lively reactions.

The sample

      The "Reproductive Health" poll was distributed among women by post. The question sheets were addressed to the following groups of persons:

1. persons in the Federation's mailing list
2. sections of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station (SANEPID)
3. health service workers employed in some health service institution chosen at random
4. Nurse Society units
5. non-governmental organisations, especially those concerning women

      Of the 5,000 polls posted, 1,223 filled in question sheets were sent back (nearly 25%). The surveyed sample of women is not representative of the Polish women population in respect of both selection and structure. Women who have higher education and live in large towns are overrepresented in it.

Age

1.   below 20   4.6%
2.   21 - 30   24.7%
3.   31 - 40   30.3%
4.   41 - 50   24.1%
5.   over 50   16.2%

Education

* According to a Census by the Main Statistic Office (GUS), may 1995, in: "Wyniki spisu reprezentacyjnego" (Representative Census Results). Statystyka Polski 1966 nr 1 - annexed to the newspaper "Rzeczpospolita" 1996 no 19 dated 23.01.1996.

Place of residence

1. village - 10.1%
2. locality. do 50.000 inhabitants - 18.5%
3. 50.000 - 100.000 inhabitants - 14.7%
4. 100.000 - 500.000 inhabitants - 23.0%
5. above 500.000 inhabitants - 31.6%
6. no answer - 2.1%

Marital status

1. unmarried - 19.3%
2. married - 65.3%
3. divorce - 9.2%
4. widow - 4.9%