ABSTRACT
Background: Contraceptive usage remains a challenge in developing countries. Despite high contraceptive awareness and knowledge, studies have shown disappointingly very low contraceptive usage. The 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) report places modern contraceptive usage in Nigeria at 10%, amounting commutatively as a 6% increase over a 24 year period. This study was conducted to assess knowledge, attitude, contraceptive usage and associated factors among women of reproductive age attending a health facility in Benin City, with the goal of developing programs and interventions to improve contraceptive usage. Methods: A health facility based descriptive cross sectional study design was utilized for this study, involving researcher administration of semi-structured questionnaires to 161 consenting women (15-49 years) attending immunization clinics in a health facility in Benin City. The data collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 21.0 statistical software with statistical significance set at p< 0.05 and 95% Confidence Interval. Results: One hundred and thirty eight (85.7%) women studied were aware of contraception with 128 (92.8%) having correct knowledge of contraception. One hundred and fourteen (82.6%) women had positive attitudes towards contraception use while (17.4%) had negative attitudes. Furthermore, the per cent of contraceptive users was calculated to be 64.5% (n=89) among women studied. Multivariate analysis following bivariate analysis identified being single (OR=0.136; 95% CI = 0.026 - 0.719; p=0.019) and having negative attitude (OR=0.367; 95% CI = 0.147 - 0.917; p=0.032) towards contraception to be negatively associated with contraception usage when compared to being married and having positive attitude towards contraception. Conclusion: The level of awareness and knowledge on contraception among women studied was high, with gaps identified to exist between knowledge, attitude and contraceptive usage. There is need to develop interventions to sustain and improve contraception usage among women in Benin City, Edo State.
ABSTRACT
Background to Study: Maternal mortality and morbidity are very high in sub-Saharan Africa as in most developing countries, Nigeria inclusive. There have been concerted efforts by Governments of these countries, Non-Governmental Organisations, International and World bodies on how to solve this problem. One of the worth able strategies employed to solve the issue of maternal mortality is to prevent unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, space births, plan family sizes through the use of modern contraceptive methods for women in their reproductive age. However, maternal mortality remains high in Nigeria because of the low prevalence of contraceptive patronage. We, the authors of this study decided to test the prevalence of contraceptive patronage amongst our antenatal patients and compare our results nationally and globally. Objective: To determine the pattern of contraceptive choices among antenatal patients attending the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross sectional study conducted at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, Bayelsa state, South-South Nigeria, between October 2014 to January 2015. It consisted of a set of structured, pretested questionnaires that were administered to consecutive antenatal attendees. Results: Fifty-one (57.3%) of subjects in the study have used contraceptives in the past. The most commonly used modern contraceptive method among the study population was the male condom – 25 (28.1%). Injectables were used by 12 (13.5%) of those who have used contraceptives before the advent of present pregnancy. Information on contraception- Seventy three (82%) of respondents learnt of family planning services in the hospital through Doctors and Nurses. Conclusion: Previous contraceptive usage before the pregnancy by the study group was encouraging. However more advocacies by contraceptive providers are needed in the areas of emergency contraception and long term contraceptive methods for increase uptake.