Inequalities in demand satisfied with modern methods of family planning among women aged 15–49 years: a secondary data analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys of six South Asian countries

OBJECTIVE: To estimate educational and wealth inequalities in demand satisfied with modern methods of family planning (mDFPS). DESIGN: A secondary data analyses of Demographic and Health Surveys. SETTING: Six South Asian countries, Afghanistan (2015), Bangladesh (2014), India (2015-2016), Maldives (2016-2017), Nepal (2016) and Pakistan (2017-2018). PARTICIPANTS: Women aged 15-49 years. Primary and secondary outcome measures mDFPS was defined as married women aged 15-49 years or their partners, who desired no child, no additional children or to postpone the next pregnancy and who are currently using any modern contraceptive method. We estimated weighted and age-standardised estimates of mDFPS. We calculated the slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) as the measures of socioeconomic inequalities. RESULTS: A total…