KNOWLEDGE, ACCESS AND USE OF CONTRACEPTIVES AMONG JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE MION DISTRICT OF NORTHERN GHANA

Abstract

Adolescent pregnancy rates have increased globally and its reduction is a primary concern for policy makers and community members alike. Early pregnancy affects adolescents, communities, and the nation. Factors linked to teenage pregnancy are complex, ranging from unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions, maternal mortality and morbidity, ST[s and H[V infection, poverty, behavioural problems to family distress etc. Factors underlying these health challenges include inadequate access to sexual health education and poor access to affordable and appropriate contraception. In cases of unmarried adolescents, contraceptive use is still controversial. [t has been repeatedly stated that contraceptive services may promote premarital promiscuous behavior among unmarried adolescents, though there has been no definite evidence to prove this belief. Generally, there is an agreement that a society should try to preserve its traditional culture. However, there is also concern about the discrepancy between those ideas and present situation such as increasing unwanted pregnancy and maternal mortality from illegally induced abortion. Contraceptive services for the unmarried adolescents is seem well tolerated by developing communities provided that the intervention is not too obvious and is combined with other services (e.g counseling to reduce adolescent sexual problems), sex education, better communication programme and adolescent - oriented clinics may help to overcome this problem. This study seeks to find out the knowledge, access and use of contraceptives among Junior High School students in the Mion District. A descriptive cross-sectional survey using qualitative and quantitative methods was carried out in Mion district with the target population being all Junior High School students. A purposive sampling method was used to select four schools and a sample size of 423 Junior High School students were selected using simple random sampling. Majority of the subjects, 40%, were within the ages of 15 to 17 year bracket followed by those in 12 to 14 year group who represented 32.6%. Most of the subjects were males 57% whiles 43% were females. Over 60% of the study subjects were Muslims with only 35.5% belonging to the Christian faith. The data revealed that the dominant source of information for adolescents on contraceptives is the teachers, 30.7%. Knowledge on contraceptives is high since most of the subjects, 95.5%, know at least one method of contraceptive and that contraceptives are used with the intended purpose of preventing pregnancies and STI's. In conclusion adolescents in the district are sexually active but do not use contraceptives correctly and consistently. The dominant contraceptive used by adolescents is condom, 26%, with parents being the greatest barrier to contraceptive use. The goal of this research was partially met through sensitization programmes on adolescent reproductive health issues. But much needs to be done to improve adolescent health, since time constraints and funds was a big barrier to achieving the full of aims of the research.