Factors Associated with Modern Contraceptive Use Among Reproductive-Aged Women in Osun State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Knowledge-Practice Gap
Abstract:
Almost every woman in Osun State knows about family planning, however, most are not using it. This study give insights into specific barriers preventing women from contraceptive use and the factors that encourage them to adopt it, considering the fact that awareness is higher but uptake is low. This study used a community based cross-sectional design of 144 sexually active women aged 15 to 49 years, and sampled were collected from nine Local Government Areas across all the senatorial districts. Data collection achieved through interview-administered questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test using SPSS version 26. The result revealed that 95.8% of respondents are aware of family planning but only 58.3% are currently making use of modern method. Based on the findings, one of the strongest predictor of family planning use is self-efficacy; women who felt confident using contraception have a good uptake of 79.6% compared to 10.5% of those who did not(p<0.001).Top barrier are; Fear of side effects is (61.9%), worry about infertility ( 41.7%) and partner disapproval (34.5%). Higher contraceptive uptake were strongly linked to community health workers contact (p=0.003), community leader endorsement (p<0.001), and partner support (65.5%). Stockouts of commodity affected one of three current contraceptive users. Based on these results, challenges affecting family planning in Osun State is not about awareness, it about building confidence, partners and community and religious leader’s engagement, addressing the deep fears about side effects, and fixing the supply chain weaknesses.References:
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