Abstract
Background
Family planning plays a vital role in improving reproductive health, empowering individuals, and promoting sustainable development, however, its usage among young people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains an issue that needs urgent attention. This study aimed to assess barriers and facilitators to the uptake of contraceptives among young people in the Tamale Metropolis.
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2023 and March 2023. A sample size of 384 young people (15-24 years) was used, and a stratified sampling technique was employed in selecting the respondents for the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 27. Inferential analyses were performed and results were considered statistically significant at P <0.05.
Results
Out of 384 young people, a majority (54.9%) were males and 39.3% had unprotected sex. All respondents have heard about family planning (FP), male condom was the most popular FP method (88.3%), and 48.9% strongly agreed that contraceptives reduce fear of unplanned pregnancy. Only 25.0% of respondents had used family planning services, and about 39.1% of the respondents see FP users as prostitutes. The odds of FP usage were higher among young people who were Christians (aOR, 3.24; 95% CI, 1.47-7.14; p=0.003), and those who had ever had sex (aOR, 5.93; 95% CI, 2.34-15.03; p<0.001) compared to their counterparts.
Conclusion
A significant proportion of them showed good knowledge of contraception, with male condoms being the most widely known method. On the other hand, it was found that the usage of contraceptives among young people was low. This finding underlines the need to improve access to family planning information and services by providing accurate, comprehensive information through healthcare providers, websites, hotlines, and educational materials.
Keywords:
contraceptive uptake, adolescents, young adults, family planning barriers, sexual health education, stigma and contraception, healthcare access, reproductive healthReferences
Nanvubya A, Wanyenze RK, Kamacooko O, et al. Barriers and Facilitators of Family Planning Use in Fishing Communities of Lake Victoria in Uganda. Epub ahead of print 2020. DOI: 10.1177/2150132720943775.
Organization WH. Fact Sheets: Family Planning in South-East Asia.
Olowolafe AS, Ademuyiwa IY. Knowledge and practice of family planning among nursing-mothers attending child-welfare clinic in Lagos university teaching hospital (LUTH), Lagos state. Int J Adv Res Community Heal Nurs 2022; 4: 95–104.
Ziblim S, Suara SB, Kuseh JB. Knowledge , Utilization and Challenges of Contraceptives among Adolescents in Tamale Metropolis. J Med Biomed Sci 2021; 7: 31–40.
Darroch JE, Woog V, Bankole A, et al. ADDING IT UP : Costs and Benefits of Meeting the Contraceptive Needs of Adolescents.
Bhatt N, Bhatt B, Neupane B, et al. Perceptions of family planning services and its key barriers among adolescents and young people in Eastern Nepal: A qualitative study. PLoS One 2021; 16: 1–16.
Ahmed M, Seid A. Association between exposure to mass media family planning messages and utilization of modern contraceptive among urban and rural youth women in ethiopia. Int J Womens Health 2020; 12: 719–729.
Dindiok J, Nungbaso M, Nachinab GT, et al. Factors Influencing the Utilization of Contraceptives among Adolescents in the Tamale Metropolis , Ghana. 2022; 20: 56–68.
Schaub EK, Hinson LS, Roth CE, et al. Identifying and addressing barriers to contraception uptake among adolescent girls in urban Burkina Faso : Evidence from a qualitative study. 2022; 26: 119–126.
Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) ICF International GHS (GHS). Ghana demographic and health survey 2014. Rockville, Maryland, USA GSS, GHS, ICF Int.
Ziblim S. Sexual behaviour and contraceptive uptake among female adolescents ( 15-19 years ): A cross-sectional study in Sagnarigu. 14: 138–151.
Ghana Statistical Service. 2021 POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS, https://statsghana.gov.gh/gssmain/fileUpload/pressrelease/2021 PHC General Report Vol 3A_Population of Regions and Districts_181121.pdf (2021).
Snedecor GW, Cochran WG. Statistical methods, 8thEdn. Ames Iowa State Univ Press Iowa 1989; 54: 71–82.
Asare BYA, Aryee SE, Kotoh AM. Sexual behaviour and the utilization of youth friendly health Services: A cross-sectional study among urban youth in Ghana. Int J Africa Nurs Sci; 13. Epub ahead of print 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijans.2020.100250.
Ojo OY, Adeniran A, Oluwole EO, et al. Corrigendum: Sexual behaviour and uptake of modern contraceptives among adolescents in public secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. Afr J Health Sci 2023; 35: 783–797.
Ziblim S, Suara SB, Adam M. Sexual behaviour and contraceptive uptake among female adolescents ( 15-19 years ): A cross-sectional study in Sagnarigu. Ghana J Geogr 2022; 14: 141–154.
Akintade OL, Pengpid S, Peltzer K. Awareness and use of and barriers to family planning services among female university students in Lesotho. S Afr J Obstet Gynaecol 2011; 17: 72–78.
Ahmad A, Garg SG, Gupta S, et al. Knowledge and practices related to menstruation among Lucknow college students in North India: results from cross-sectional survey. medRxiv 2021; 2021.02.10.21251460.
Boamah EA, Asante KP, Mahama E, et al. Use of contraceptives among adolescents in Kintampo, Ghana: a cross-sectional study. Open Access J Contracept 2014; 5: 7–15.
Masood MSA, Alsonini NAA. Knowledge and attitude about reproductive health and family planning among young adults in Yemen. Int J Popul Res; 2017.
Aragão JMN, Amaral HRM, Sousa FWM de, et al. Conhecimento, atitude e prática de adolescentes escolares em relação ao uso do preservativo masculino. Rev Enferm Contemp 2021; 10: 67–78.
Chavalala L, Lebese RT, Tshivhase SE. Assessment of knowledge about condom use among high school students in selected schools of Limpopo Province, South Africa. HIV AIDS Rev 2019; 18: 222–227.
Dangat CM, Njau B. Knowledge, attitudes and practices on family planning services among adolescents in secondary schools in Hai District, northern Tanzania. Tanzan J Health Res; 15.
Fatimah S, Razif D, Nur Hafizah M, et al. ‘Knowledge , Awareness and Perception of Contraception among Students in a Public University’ in Selection and Peer-review under the responsibility ofthe ICHT Conference Committee. KnE Life Sci 2019; 2019: 34–43.
Hagan JE, Buxton C. Contraceptive knowledge, perceptions and use among adolescents in selected senior high schools in the central region of Ghana. J Sociol Res 2012; 3: 170–180.
Dombola GM, Manda WC, Chipeta E. Factors influencing contraceptive decision making and use among young adolescents in urban Lilongwe, Malawi: a qualitative study. Reprod Health 2021; 18: 1–11.
Dioubaté N, Manet H, Bangoura C, et al. Barriers to Contraceptive Use Among Urban Adolescents and Youth in Conakry, in 2019, Guinea. Front Glob Women’s Heal 2021; 2: 1–11.
Mulubwa C, Munakampe MN, Namakula H, et al. Framing Contraceptive Use Motivations Among Adolescents and Young Adults Living in Informal Settlements in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, Uganda. Front Glob Women’s Heal 2021; 2: 1–11.
Kinaro JW, Wangalwa G, Karanja S, et al. Socio-Cultural Barriers Influencing Utilization of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Information and Services among Adolescents and Youth 10 - 24 Years in Pastoral Communities in Kenya. Adv Sex Med 2019; 09: 1–16.
Okanlawon K, Reeves M, Agbaje OF. Contraceptive use: knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of refugee youths in Oru Refugee Camp, Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14: 16–25.
Fuentes L, Ingerick M, Jones R, et al. Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Reports of Barriers to Confidential Health Care and Receipt of Contraceptive Services. J Adolesc Heal 2018; 62: 36–43.
Ezenwaka U, Mbachu C, Ezumah N, et al. Exploring factors constraining utilization of contraceptive services among adolescents in Southeast Nigeria: An application of the socio-ecological model. BMC Public Health 2020; 20: 1–11.
Mohamed AF, Sundberg LR. “Using contraceptives is abandoning our culture”: A qualitative study of contraceptive use among Somali women in Finland. Sex Reprod Healthc 2022; 32: 100718.
Manet H, Doucet M-H, Bangoura C, et al. Factors Facilitating the use of Contraceptive Methods Among Urban Adolescents and Youth in Guinea: A Qualitative Study. 2021; 1–24.
Chola M, Hlongwana K, Ginindza TG. Patterns, trends, and factors associated with contraceptive use among adolescent girls in Zambia (1996 to 2014): a multilevel analysis. BMC Womens Health 2020; 20: 1–11.
Bulage L, Ssewanyana I, Nankabirwa V, et al. Factors associated with virological non-suppression among HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy in Uganda, August 2014–July 2015. BMC Infect Dis 2017; 17: 1–11.
Sserwanja Q, Musaba MW, Mukunya D. Prevalence and factors associated with modern contraceptives utilization among female adolescents in Uganda. BMC Womens Health 2021; 21: 1–7.
Sweya MN, Msuya SE, Mahande MJ, et al. Contraceptive knowledge, sexual behavior, and factors associated with contraceptive use among female undergraduate university students in Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania. Adolesc Health Med Ther 2016; 109–115.
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2024 DR. Abdulai Abdul Malik , Osman Abu Iddrisu, Iddrisu Abdul Hakeem, Abdul-Khahar Osman, Saidatu Ayisha Abubakari, Mudasir Mohammed Ibrahim, Rhubamatu Iddrisu, Abass Yakubu, Mulika Fasasi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright© by the author(s). Published by the Evidence Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.