Using information on household expenditure from the l994Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (l 994 lDl?lS). it is found that thereis substantial variation in the level and distribution of household expenditurein indonesia. Most households in Indonesia spend more money each month forfood than non-food items. In addition. poorer provinces (as measured by totalmonthly household expenditure levels) tend to have greater inequality in thedistribution of wealth. However, in general Indonesia's is not typified by majorregional variations in the equality of household expenditure. Households withhigh expenditure levels are more likely to use contraception than householdswith low expenditure levels. In terms of individual methods, women residingin wealthier households are more likely to be using injectables and femalesterilization, which suggest that poor accessibility and the cost of thesemethods may be discouraging use among poorer women. However, implantprevalence is greater in households with lower spending levels: while pills.lUDs, condoms, and male sterilization do not have clear patterns ofassociation with household expenditure levels. As has been noted in previousstudies, poorer households rely more on public sector reproductive healthservices (family planning, prenatal and delivery services). Households withhigh expenditure levels rely more upon private hospitals. pharmacy/drugstores, private doctors and private family planning' clinics for their familyplanning care. Households with the lowest expenditure levels rely primarilyupon fieldworkers/PKLB, mobile units, traditional healers/dukuns,government health centers (puskesmas), and government health posts(posyandu). It is important to note that private sector social marketingprograms designed to offer methods through commercial outlets have beenless readilv utilized by Indonesia 's poorer households. Continuing efforts areneeded to ensure that poorer households are able to gain access to familyplanning services. primarily through lower cost public sector providers andsegmented commercial distribution systems. |