PART 2

CHAPTER II

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

MATERIAL AND METHODS

2.2.1. Demographic Characteristics

Citizenship and urbanization

Most of the respondents were citizens of Armenia (96.2%). Representation of women with other citizenship was 0.6% and with twofold citizenship was 0.1%. There were also 3.1% of refugee or displaced women. The sample consisted mainly of inhabitants of towns and cities (72%), including 34% of women who live in the capital city of Yerevan (Figure 2.2.1.).

Place of residence

The frequency distribution of survey respondents by location in Armenia is shown in Table 2.2.1.

Religious belief

The large majority of women who participated in this survey considered themselves to be Christians by culture (98.7%), and only 18 women (1.3%) were atheists. Six hundred twenty five women specified that they were members of the Armenian Apostolic Church (44.6%). Most of the respondents, however, irregularly attend religious services (83%) and more than 11% attended services at least once a week.  

Characteristics of the households

The number of families per household for the survey respondents varied from 1 up to 4, and the mean number was 1.4±0.6. In about 26% of the households there were 2 families living together, and in about 4% there were three or four (Figure 2.2.2.).

The actual size of the households varied from 1 up to 19 persons, and, on the average there were five people per household (Mean=5.1±1.82). The majority of the households (57.8%) consisted of more than four members. The frequency distribution of the households according to the number of household members is presented in Table 2.2.2.

Age distribution

The age of respondents of this survey varied from 17 up to 44 years of age, and the average was 32 years (Mean = 32.5±7.1). Representation by young women below 20 years of age was 3.7 %. The age of spouses (partners) varied from 18 to 61 years old, and the average was 37 years (Mean = 36.7±7.5). The percentage distribution of men and spouses (partners) according to their age is given in Figure 2.2.3.

The comparison between the age of spouses shows that female partners were usually younger than males and the average age difference was approximately four years (p<0.00).

Marital status

Most of the women were currently married and lived with their spouses (82%). The frequency of consensual union formation was about 1.3%. About 8% of the women were currently married but separated and about 6% were divorced. Eight women (0.4%) were never married but had children (Table 2.2.3.).

Current marriage duration

The total duration of the current (recent) marriage varied from one month up to 29 years, and on the average it was about 11 years (Mean=10.9±6.7). The representation of women who were married less than one year ago was 1.4%.

The educational level of survey respondents and their spouses (partners) is high (Figure 2.2.4). All had completed at least 8 years of primary school. Women have an equal access to education, as compared with men.

2.2.2. Social and Economic Status

This survey demonstrates that about 58% of Armenian women claimed no means of earning their own income at the time of the survey-interview. Almost 28% of women mentioned that their spouses /partners had no means of earning an income (Figure 2.2.5.).

The outcomes of the self-assessment appraisal of women’s own living conditions are demonstrated in Figure 2.2.6. About 10% of women considered their living conditions as “very poor” and more than 30% as “poor”. The average monthly gross expenditures in more than 8% of families of survey respondents were less than 20US$ (Table 2.2.4).

Table 2.2.5. displays the percentage distribution of the households according to the availability of selected amenities. In more than 30 percent of the households the bathroom and shower was not available or was out of order, 44% did not have a properly working local heating system. More than thirty three percent of families, though, had their own automobile. The great majority of families had television (96%), more than 68% had a tape recorder and more than 57% had a radio.

The majority of respondents (54%) claimed that they have only cold water at specified time, while about 13% did not have water at all. Only 29% of the targeted households always had at least cold water (Table 2.2.6.).

To be able to assess the impact of social and economic conditions on the status of reproductive health of women, we created a socioeconomic index for each woman who participated in the survey based on the social and economic characteristics of the family (excluding the education). The calculation of the score was based on the same methodology, which was used in the Reproductive Health survey in men (Part I, Chapter 2).

The highest possible value was 36 points but it was never reached. The score varied from 1 up to 29, with an average of about 15 (Mean =14.8±4.47). Based on the social score we subdivided the sample population into three conventional levels of socioeconomic development: 1) “low” (up to 12 points), 2) “middle” (from 13 up to 24 points), and 3) “high” (25 and more points). In total 432 respondents (30.9%) received the score below 12 and were defined as persons with the low status of socioeconomic development. Only 17 women (1.2%) were defined as having the high socioeconomic status  (Figure 2.2.7.).

Table 2.2.7 demonstrates socioeconomic status of women, according to the place of residence. In most of the marzes, excluding Armavir, the majority of women had middle level of socioeconomic development. More than one half of women living in Armavir marz (57%) had the low socioeconomic status.

A summary of the described above selected demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, according to the level of urbanization of survey respondents, is given in the Table 2.2.8. This summary includes their age distribution, education, and marital and socioeconomic status.