Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of female secondary school learners on emergency contraception in Ongwediva, Oshana Region
Loading...
Date
2014
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Emergency contraception (EC) has been available in Namibia for many years; however, there has been little research on knowledge, attitudes and practice of female learners about it. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of secondary school female learners towards emergency contraception. A cross sectional descriptive study of 294 secondary female learners was conducted at Mweshipandeka and Gabriel Taapopi secondary schools in Ongwediva, Namibia, during January 2013. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to female learners who agreed to participate in the study. The findings indicated that only 4.4% of female learners had heard and used emergency contraception. About 48% of them reported that oral contraceptive pills are used for EC, 6% mentioned implants as EC and 9% mentioned intrauterine device (IUD) as an EC. Only 7.8% mentioned the correct time (within 72hrs) of taking ECs in case of unprotected sex. More than 29% of female learners mentioned friends/family as the source of information about EC. About 86% of female learners who heard EC know the mechanism of action of EC pills and 8.5% believed that EC worked by inducing abortion. More than 80% of students had positive attitudes towards EC. The level of knowledge of female learners in secondary schools about EC appears low; hence there is a need for more awareness creation and education among the learners on EC. This could be done through peer education in the schools and a possible incorporation of EC issues in secondary school curriculum.
Description
Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Public Health.
Keywords
Emergency contraception