Abstract:
Contraceptive use is an important intervention in reducing unplanned pregnancies and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This study investigates the knowledge of contraceptive use, identify the barriers of contraceptive use, and determine the predictors of contraceptive use among women in a peri-urban community in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional survey design, a total of 189 women of childbearing age was sampled in a peri-urban community in Ghana. Data were collected with questionnaires and analyzed using chi-square and binary logistic regression. The result shows that more than half of the participants ( 63.6% (n = 56) of contraceptive users knew seven to twelve types of contraceptives, whereas 46.6% of noncontraceptive users indicated they knew seven to twelve types of contraceptives. Knowledge of the types and uses of contraceptive was significantly associated with contraceptive usage. Spousal consent, adverse effects, lack of knowledge about the benefits and religion were the main barriers to contraceptive use. There was a strong association between marital status, income, age and contraceptive use among women (p <0.05). Women with no children and women with one to two children were 7 times (95%CI, 2.00, 27.78) more likely to use contraceptives.
Those with more than three children were 11 times (95%CI 2.34, 54.87) more likely
to use contraceptives. Although the women knew about the uses and types of contraceptives, utilisation was low. Parity was high among the factors that predicted the non-usage of contraceptives among women. The findings of this study call for a comprehensive education on contraceptives at various levels of the health delivery system.
