A community based study of contraceptive use among adolescents in Chorkor, a suburb of Accra

Introduction Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancies among adolescents through effective contraceptive use is a global public health challenge in adolescent reproductive health matters. Contraception is defined as the use of a drug or device to prevent pregnancy before or after unprotected sexual intercourse. Aim The main research objective of this study is to examine the use of contraceptives among adolescents in the Chorkor community, a suburb of Accra. Methodology This survey adopted a cross-sectional study design to examine the factors contributing to the use of contraceptives among adolescents (people aged 10 to 19 years old) in the Chorkor community. Data was collected with a structured questionnaire which examined the demographic characteristics of the adolescents and questions relating to the objectives in the study. The data was analysed using SPSS version 20. Data was analysed descriptively and presented as counts and proportions for categorical variables. Univariate and multivariate analysis of both dependent and independent variables were done to establish associations among variables. Multiple logistics regression model was employed to calculate both adjusted and unadjusted odds ratios. Odds ratios outcomes was accepted at the 95% confidence interval and a 0.05 level of significance. v Findings Four hundred and twenty-six (426) adolescents participated in the study. There were a total of 206 (48.4 %) males and 220 (51.6 %) females. The average age for the study was 14.8 years with a standard deviation of 2.0 years. The minimum age recorded was 11 years and the maximum age was 19 years. The study did not show any statistically significant difference in the age distribution (p-value = 0.079). The main importance derived from the use of contraceptives by the adolescents is the avoidance of unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and the spread of STDs/STIs. 95.3 % of participants had low level of knowledge about contraceptives. There was no significant difference in gender for level of knowledge of contraceptives and the types of contraceptives available to the adolescents (p-value = 0.498). The overall prevalence of contraceptive use among the adolescents was 21.6 %. The prevalence of contraceptive use among male adolescents was 18.4 %. The prevalence of contraceptive use among female adolescents was 24.5 %. Willingness to continue with the use of contraceptives among adolescents was 97.3 %. Factors influencing the use of contraceptives among the adolescents included; age, education and want to avoid STDs. The methods of contraceptives currently in use by adolescents in the Chorkor community includes; condoms, implant/injectable, IUD, natural methods, periodic abstinence and pills. About twenty-five percent (24.6 %), nineteen percent (18.5 %) and one percent (0.5 %) of adolescents in Chorkor knows the existence of condom, the pill method and implant injectable respectively in the Chorkor community. Barriers to the use of contraceptive among adolescents were; cost of contraceptives, limited knowledge about the use of contraceptives, religious beliefs and availability of contraceptives. vi Conclusion The use of contraceptives among adolescents in the Chorkor community is very low although adolescents may have knowledge in at least one contraceptive method. There is a need for continuous education on the use and importance of contraceptives through various social-media platforms. Such educational interventions should be adolescent-centered.

Source: KNUST