Factors influencing utilization and choice of modern contraceptives among women attending family planning clinic at Arua Regional Referral Hospital
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Date
2019-06
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Publisher
Kampala International University, School of Health Sciences
Abstract
Background: In developing countries, the woman’s decision on which contraceptive method to use, if any at all, is either a collective decision with the partner or is completely dependent on the male partner’s choice and preference. In developing countries, modern contraceptive use is adversely affected by myths, beliefs and fears on perceived side effects together with the need to stick to the traditional methods. In Uganda, the same has been the case over the years, deterring potential users from using particular contraceptive methods over others. Hesitance, or complete unwillingness by the male partner to embrace contraceptive methods has also played a big role in adversely affecting use. In Arua, modern contraceptive use is predicted to be low but data on this is scanty warranting a study on the utilization and factors associated with modern contraceptive methods among the reproductive-age women attending FP clinic at Arua Regional Referral Hospital.
Objective: was to assess utilization and factors affecting utilization and choice of modern contraceptive methods among women of reproductive age in in Arua
Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study that involved 335 women of reproductive age in and which utilized a researcher-administered questionnaire.
Results: A total of three hundred and thirty-five (335) women took part in the study. The factors affecting utilization were knowledge concerning modern contraceptive methods, marital status, residence, number of children alive, employment status and religion significantly affecting utilization, whereas level of education was found statistically insignificant. The modern contraceptive methods used were the condom (56.10%) because of the ready availability, the pill (25.61%) they cited that they chose the option due to its easy reversibility in that its effects quickly wane after stopping to take them. They also said that it was less invasive compared to the alternatives they might opted for, injectable (13.42%) users said that they like the method given that it gives them some sense of control over their reproductive life and also the convenience of a single injection covering them for a long time and lastly IUDs (4.87%) chose the method based on its prolonged effectiveness as long as it has been inserted.
Conclusion: The study identified the factors affecting utilization and choice of modern contraceptives among women attending family planning clinic at Arua Regional Referral Hospital which included knowledge, residence, age, number of live children, religion and marital status. A sense of control over one’s reproductive life, convenience, ease of access and use, long-term effectiveness, easy reversibility and resumption of fertility and fear of side effects (perceived or real), were the factors that influenced the choice of a particular modern contraceptive method over another
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery of Kampala International University
Keywords
Modern contraceptives, Family planning, Arua Regional Referral Hospital