Investigation of the Factors Influencing Utilization of Modern Contraceptives Among Women (18-45 Years) in Mukura Sub-County, Ngora District.

Abstract

This study aimed at finding out the factors that are influencing the utilization of modern contraceptives among women aged 18-45 in Mukura Sub County, Ngora district. Mukura Sub County is one of the sub counties in the newly created Ngora district and is generally characterised by poor contraceptive use, high levels of early and teenage pregnancy as well as early marriages driven by the desire for parents to get wealth (cows from the dowry). This study therefore, sought to look into the different aspects of contraceptive use using an investigation with the specific objectives of: finding out the current modern contraceptive prevalence rate in the area, availability and accessibility of the modern contraceptives, knowledge of the women on the different contraceptives; and determining the motivational and operational factors in the health units that had a role to play in influencing the use of modern contraceptives. The study employed a cross sectional descriptive study design that was chosen so that the researcher would be able to measure current variable indicators related to contraceptive use. The data collection involved both qualitative and quantitative strategies of administering questionnaires and holding key informant interviews. The findings of the study indicated a current contraceptive prevalence of 19.2 percent and the knowledge of at least one contraceptive method among women to be as high as 99 percent. Factors like the nature of employment and the highest level of formal education attained were found to have a statistically significant relationship with contraceptive use. Meanwhile, religion and distance to the nearest health facility were found not to have any statistically significant relationship with contraceptive use. Furthermore, the study established that the fertility rate was highly statistically significant with the non use of modern contraceptives implying that women who were not using contraceptives were more likely to have a greater number of children as compared to those using contraceptives. The motivational and operational factors believed to be influencing the use of modern contraceptives were cited to be: the need for child spacing as well as having a manageable family size which came up as the major motivators whereas factors like; fears of side effects and health concerns (infertility and excess bleeding) came up as the major demotivating factors. On the other hand, operational factors in the health units included; lack of sufficient infrastructure, human resource, supplies and proper communication avenues for family planning information. The researcher therefore recommended the greater improvement of the way family planning information is disseminated as well as the need for more refurbished and equitably distributed health facilities and more human resource to be put in place to help better access and availability of family planning services to the women and the communities at large.