The Regional Meeting on Social and Cultural Factors Affecting the Acceptance, Continuation and Discontinuation of Family Planning Practice was held at Pattya, Thailand from November 2 to 8, 1982. Objectives identified at the meeting were: 1) to review and exchange information among the countries of the region on the factors affecting the acceptance, continuation and discontinuation of family planning practice; 2) to recommend, on the basis of available experience in the region, strategies and experimental measures for overcoming the critical communication as well as other social and cultural barriers adversely affecting the practice of family planning; 3) to enhance regional cooperation in conducting further necessary research on the sociocultural factors affecting decision making on the use continuation of contraceptive methods by suggesting an appropriate conceptual framework and guidelines for a methodology in conducting such regional or subregional studies; 4) to suggest strategies for promoting improved evaluation and monitoring systems for family planning programs which take into account the extent and nature of the continuation and discontinuation of family planning practice. 8 countries participated: Bangladesh, India, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Recommended communication strategies to facilitate the continuation of family planning practice are: 1) improvement of the instructional or counseling activities by family planning personnel concerning technical information on contraceptive methods to counteract unfavorable rumors on contraceptive use. 2) Utilizing mass media and interpersonal channels to reinforce directly the continuance of family planning practice, as an alternative to simply promoting 1st acceptance. 3) Counteract unfavorable rumors related to contraceptive use by identifying influential persons at key locations in the communication networks of local communities and by having them serve as "trouble shooters" should unfavorable rumors arise. 4) Organize communication to increase the level of social support for acceptors of family planning. Design special communication strategies to increase acceptability of a small family norm, and to decrease fatalistic attitudes toward pregnancy and childbirth.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.