Unplanned pregnancy among female students at universities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Unplanned pregnancy has adverse effects including unsafe and illegal abortions causing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the adverse impact of unplanned pregnancy on women's personal life, their families, and society, there is a dearth of knowledge on unplanned pregnancy in institutions of higher education and training in South Africa. As a result, the objective of this study was to assess unplanned pregnancy and underlying factors among unmarried female students in universities in Eastern Cape. This was a cross-sectional survey of 1269 unmarried female students from universities in Eastern Cape selected using multistage cluster sampling. The study found that the prevalence of unplanned pregnancy was 12.31%, Health Science student (AOR: 0.41, 95% CI [0.17, 0.99], p < 0.001) were less likely to experience unplanned pregnancy. Being financially supported by a family (AOR: 0.17, 95% CI: [0.07, 0.43], p< 0.001) and being aged less than or equal to 18 years during the first sexual intercourse (AOR: 6.32, 95% CI: [2.57, 15.54], p < 0.001) were associated with unplanned pregnancy. Rural residence (AOR=3.93; 95% CI: (1.21, 12.84), p <0.001), not using contraceptives (AOR=10.63; 95%CI: 5.29, 21.37, p < 0.001) and having divorced parents (AOR=1.99; 95%CI: 1.14, 3.94), p < 0.001) were associated with unplanned pregnancy compared to their counterparts, respectively. The prevalence of unplanned pregnancy is high among unmarried female students in universities in Eastern Cape. Unplanned pregnancy was influenced by age at first sexual intercourse, non-use of contraceptives, divorced parents, the field of study, and the source of financial support. Universities and stakeholders should work together to support reproductive health programmes to prevent unplanned pregnancy. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[7]: 29-37).

Sentimientos en voz de estudiantes universitarias obesas / Feelings expressed by obese university female students

Resumen:

Introducción: la obesidad ha alcanzado proporciones epidémicas mundialmente, y cada año mueren, como mínimo, 2,6 millones de personas a causa de la misma o el sobrepeso. Las más afectadas son las mujeres, con casi 72%, en comparación con 68% de los varones, dado que su organismo tiende a generar más tejido adiposo y lo acumulan en el abdomen o en la cadera. Objetivo: interpretar los sentimientos de jóvenes universitarias obesas. Metodología: investigación cualitativa, método fenomenológico. Técnica de entrevista en profundidad, diario de campo y observación participante para recolección de datos. Como instrumento se utilizó una guía de preguntas relacionadas con sentimientos y emociones. Hallazgos: se encontraron sentimientos tales como la ansiedad, depresión, coraje, miedo, placer, odio, culpa y frustración. Conclusión: el problema de la obesidad está siempre ligado a sentimientos negativos los cuales producen en las estudiantes baja autoestima.

A Study on the Nutrition Knowledge and Nutritional Status of Food and Nutrition Major and Physical Science Major Female Students / 대한지역사회영양학회지

The purpose of this study is to examine the nutrition knowledge, characteristics related to, nutrient intakes, anthropometrics, biochemical indices of university female students by major (food and nutrition versus physical science). Data were taken from 120 university female students (60 from each major) and the results follows. The mean age of the subjects was 19.6 years old. Most of subjects responded that they were healthy; subjects majoring in physical science scored higher in regular exercise (p < 0.01) and were more satisfied with their own body figures (p < 0.01), compared with the counterparts. The total nutrition knowledge score was 81.01 +/- 12.3 for food and nutrition majors and 72.5 +/- 15.2 points for physical science majors. (p < 0.01) The percentages of body fat were significantly higher in the food and nutrition students than the counterparts. (p < 0.001) The result of biochemical analysis showed that both groups were in normal range. But there was some statistically significant difference between groups in GTP, HDL-cholesterol and ALP levels. It suggests that regular exercise might have a positive effect on the body. This study showed that although both groups had different knowledge of nutrition, there was not much difference in the intakes of nutrients. But especially, the intakes of calcium and iron were quite low in both groups. Subjects majoring in Physical science had more lipid intake, but they had lower body fat. This suggests that regular exercise in this group might have effects on the percentages of body fat. In future study, nutrition education might be planned to increase nutrition knowledge and to connect nutrition knowledge to eating behaviors and to promote health to regular exercise. Also, the desire and the social perception for pursuing alean body figure and being underweight should be changed for optimal health