Abstract
Nearly one in ten women of reproductive age worldwide has an unmet need for family planning. Although contraceptive usage has increased globally, sub-Saharan Africa has recorded the lowest usage of contraceptives worldwide, with Nigeria, the country with the highest population in Africa still recording a low prevalence of contraceptive usage. This descriptive survey assessed the uptake of family planning services by women of reproductive age in Waru, Apo Abuja. Data analysis was done with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and hypotheses were tested using chi-square. Findings revealed the level of knowledge on family planning was above average as 55.8% demonstrated good knowledge; however, utilization of family planning services was below average as 55.8% showed inadequate utilization. While significant association was found between the utilization of family planning and the number of children per household, (χ2=8. 649, p = 0.034), no significant association was found between knowledge of the respondents and their utilization of family planning services (χ2=0.828, p = 0.730), and also between knowledge of the respondents and their educational level (χ2=4.303, p = 0.116). Although the level of knowledge in this study was above average, there is still room for improvement even as the knowledge did not translate into adequate utilization of family planning services. This calls for more advocacy and interventions to combat this trend. This will hopefully improve contraceptive prevalence while aligning Nigeria with the Sustainable Development Goal of providing universal access to reproductive health services by 2030.
Chapter one
Introduction
1.1Background of the study
Family planning refers to the conscious effort by a couple to limit or space the number of children they have through the use of contraceptive methods. It is also described as a practice that help couples to avoid unwanted births, bring about wanted births, and ultimately determine the number of children in the family. Family Planning (FP) involves the control of the world’s population with respect to the available food, economic and other resources of the world. It includes contraception, infertility management, genetic counseling, sex selection, evaluation of abortion as a means of population control (Duru et al., 2018). Developing countries of the world are faced with a myriad of socio-economic setbacks among which is the issue of population explosion (Essien et al., 2018). According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2015 report, the underlying cause of most socio-economic malaise in third world countries is uncontrolled population growth. In almost all regions of the world, contraceptives are used by the majority of women in the reproductive age range (15-49 years) who are married or in a union. In 2017, 63 per cent of women worldwide were using some form of contraception. Contraceptive use was above 70 per cent in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Northern America, while being below 25 per cent in Middle and Western Africa (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, [UNDESA] 2017).
Globally, the prevalence of contraceptive use has been increasing but the unmet need for contraception still remains a problem (United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] ,2015). The essential aim of family planning is to prevent unwanted pregnancies. A proper family planning can reduce the maternal mortality by reducing the number of pregnancies, abortions and the proportions of births at risk (Qazi et al., 2019). Although Nigeria remains the most populous country in Africa and 7th in the world with an estimated population of 198 million people having potentials of becoming the 3rd most populous country in the world by 2050 (UNDP, 2015); however, according to World Bank (2016) report, Nigeria has one of the lowest rates of contraceptive prevalence (20.4%) as effort to slow down population growth and reduce maternal and child mortality rate through family planning has not yielded desired result.
Family planning could reduce maternal mortality by 20% or more and infants are twice more likely to survive if the previous birth interval is at least 2 years. Access to family planning services can bring about a drop in unintended pregnancies by about 77%; which can lead to a corresponding reduction in the number of women requiring medical care from complications of unsafe abortions. By this, it confers important health benefits to individuals, families, and the nation at large. It contributes toward the control of population growth and the achievement of the MDGs (Park K., 2011)
Globally, it has been estimated that about 17% of married women have an unmet need for family planning, and this greatly contributes toward a large proportion of unintended pregnancies and a resultant high maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in the developing countries. In Nigeria, about 15% of married women use modern family planning services, which is lower than the current Sub-Saharan Africa average of 17%. Globally, Nigeria has the second highest maternal mortality (after India) and this has been attributed to illegal abortions and high rate of transmission of sexually transmitted infections, which are directly or indirectly related to low uptake of family planning services. Some of the barriers associated with low uptake of contraceptives in the developing countries include poor physical access to the provider and time constraints, type of community (remoteness of communities), poverty, illiteracy, poor co‑ordination of family planning programs, and negative cultural and religious beliefs. Most of these factors vary from one zone to another, between and within developing countries (White JS, 2008)
According to Essien et al. (2018), a number of studies have sought to investigate the issues bordering on low contraceptive uptake in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa. For instance, Okeono and Olujide (2014) examined the critical role of knowledge in promoting contraceptive uptake among rural women in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study confirmed a strong link between awareness level and utilization of family planning levels in its findings. Studies by Ackerson and Zielinski (2017) revealed low utilization of modern contraceptives in more than ten countries of Sub-Saharan Africa largely due to a lack of trust in western medicine and poor knowledge of family planning techniques. However, the Nigerian 2015 Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2015) revealed otherwise. The survey indicated that out of 85% and 95% of women and men who reported knowledge of contraceptive methods, only 15% reported usage
A thorough understanding of socio-demographic determinants, knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning is essential to know the reasons for these unmet needs, for better understanding of the situation and to help the Government in formulation of appropriate policies (Agrawal et al., 2019). This prompted the researchers to conduct this research in a bid to understand the uptake of family planning services by women of productive age in Waru, Apo, Abuja
Statement of the problem
Statistics have shown that 1.1 billion of the 1.9 billion women of reproductive age (15-49 years) living in the world in 2019 have a need for family planning and 190million of these women who want to avoid pregnancy do not use any contraceptive. While the low and lower-middle income countries record the highest need for family planning services, sub-Saharan Africa houses most of the women of reproductive age who want to avoid pregnancy but are not using any contraceptive (UNDESA, 2019). This calls for concern even as contraceptive usage which is currently lowest in sub-saharan Africa (27.8%) is expected to increase to 32.9% over the next decade (UNDESA, 2020). Socio economic factors, behavioral change and lack of reproductive health services are contributing factors to the increase in unintended pregnancy and leads to several maternal complications especially lack of knowledge and access to contraceptive methods and reproductive health service will have profound impact on every mother who do not want to have children (Yazdkhasti et al., 2015). Nigeria has a population of 177.5 million as at 2014, and is currently the 9th largest country in the world as well as the most populous black nation in the world with natural growth rate of 2.4%, and total fertility rate of 5.7 (6.2 among rural dwellers when compared to 4.7 in urban dwellers). Countries with large population density relative to available resources like Nigeria, suffer tremendously from high fertility rates. High fertility rates are strongly associated with poor utilization of family planning services leading to inadequate spacing between births, which in turn is associated with high infant mortality and maternal mortality which is prevalent in the country. Nigeria is ranked 187th out of 191 as the country with one of the poorest health indicators in the world. An estimated 600,000 maternal deaths related to pregnancy occur worldwide each year, of this a total of about 52,900 maternal deaths occur in Nigeria. This is approximately 10% of maternal deaths globally, despite the fact that Nigeria is only 2% of the world population (Duru et al., 2018). It is against this backdrop that the researchers aimed to assess the uptake of family planning services by women of productive age in Waru, Apo, Abuja.
Objective of the study
The objective of the study is to assess the uptake of family planning services by women of reproductive age in Waru, Apo, Abuja. The specific objectives are;
- To assess the knowledge of women of reproductive ages in Waru, Apo Abuja Community Health Center on family planning services.
- To assess the level of utilization of family planning services among women of reproductive ages
- To identify the factors influencing the utilization of family planning services in Waru, Apo, Abuja
Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses are formulated;
H0: There is no significant relationship between the knowledge and utilization of family planning services among women of reproductive ages.
H1: there is significant relationship between the knowledge and utilization of family planning service among women of productive age
H0: There is no significant relationship between the utilization of family planning services and number of children per household within the community
H2: There is significant relationship between the utilization of family planning services and number of children per household within the community
H0: There is no significant relationship between women’s educational level and knowledge of family planning services.
H3: There is significant relationship between women’s educational level and knowledge of family planning services
Significance of the study
The study will be very significant to student, women especially women of productive age and the ministry of health. The study will give a clear insight on the assessment of the uptake of family planning services by women of reproductive age. The study will educate the public on the factors that act as a barrier to uptake of family planning services by women of reproductive age. The study will also service as a reference to other researcher that will embark on the related topic
Scope of the study
The scope of the study covers assessment of the uptake of family planning services by women of reproductive age. The study will be limited to women in Waru, Apo, Abuja
Limitation of the study
Limitations/constraints are inevitable in carrying out a research work of this nature. However, in the course of this research, the following constraints were encountered thus:
- Non-availability of enough resources (finance): A work of this nature is very tasking financially, money had to be spent at various stages of the research such resources which may aid proper carrying out of the study were not adequately available.
Time factor:Â The time used in carrying out the research work is relatively not enough to bring the best information out of it. However, I hope that the little that is contained in this study will go a long way in solving many greater problems.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
ASSESSMENT OF THE UPTAKE OF FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES BY WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN WARU, APO ABUJA.
A1Project Hub Support Team Are Always (24/7) Online To Help You With Your Project
Chat Us on WhatsApp » 09063590000
DO YOU NEED CLARIFICATION? CALL OUR HELP DESK:
09063590000 (Country Code: +234)
YOU CAN REACH OUR SUPPORT TEAM VIA MAIL: [email protected]
09063590000 (Country Code: +234)
