Contraceptive Usage Status and its Associated Factors among Adolescents in the Kwahu South District, Eastern Region of Ghana
Edwin Akomaning *
Ghana Health Service, The Community Hospital, Akim Oda, Eastern Region of Ghana.
Edem Kojo Dzantor
Research Officer, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Post Office Box 10, Nalerigu, North-East Region, Ghana.
Etornam Abla Tettey
University of Ghana, School of Public Health, Post Office Box LG 25, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
Francisca Abangbila
Ministry of Health, Nurses and Midwives Training College, P.O. Box 565, Tamale Northern Region, Ghana.
Adam Mohammed
University for Development Studies, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Post Office Box TL 1350, Tamale, Ghana.
Appau-Duah Eunice
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, PMB KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana.
Asante Emmanuela Dapomaa
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, PMB KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Unwanted pregnancies account for roughly 30% of all pregnancies in Ghana. Availability of contraceptives and usage is essential to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 3.7 which calls for universal access to contraception for use by people of all ages by 2030. The study aims to assess contraceptive usage and associated factors among adolescents in the Kwahu South District of the Eastern Region of Ghana.
The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Adolescents were drawn using multistage sampling techniques. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were run and results were presented in tables and graphs. The statistically significant p-value was pegged at less than 0.05.
Almost all (97.9%) respondents have heard of contraceptives with the media being the common source of information (52.5%). The male condom (57.6%), oral pills (53.5%) and the female condom (46.9%) were the commonly known contraceptives. The majority (77.1%) knew where to get contraceptives. Common sources of contraceptives included the pharmacy (57.3%) and hospitals (37.2%). Significant differences exist between usage of contraceptives and age(p<0.001), religion (p= 0.042) and having a partner(p<0.001). Age (18 years) (AOR= 3.01, 95%CI (1.17-7.73)) and having a partner (AOR= 0.05, 95%CI (0.02-0.14)) were positively associated with current contraceptive use.
Targeted public health interventions in the form of education and promotion are desirable to create awareness among adolescents who do not know about contraceptives and improve understanding of the safety of other contraceptive methods aside from male condoms and oral pills.
Keywords: Adolescent, associated factors, contraceptive usage, family planning, sexual and reproductive health