Barriers To The Use Of Contraceptives Among Married Women In Paga, Upper East Region, Ghana

ABSTRACT

Background: Contraceptive use is an essential and highly beneficial component of family planning. Most people across the globe know at least one method of contraceptive but its use is very low. It is therefore necessary to encourage its use especially among married women of child-bearing age as it is beneficial to the welfare of both mothers and their children. The study sought to identify the barriers to contraceptives use among married women in Paga.

Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 216 married women aged 15-49 years, in Paga, a community in the Upper East region of Ghana. Systematic sampling with a random start was employed in recruiting the participants, and a structured questionnaire was used to gather data on the demographic characteristics and barriers to contraceptive use among the participants. Data was analysed using frequencies, chi-square tests and logistic regressions on STATA version 13.0.

Results: The study found knowledge of any method of contraceptives to be high (81.02%) but current use was much lower at 18.98%. In addition, depo/injectables (9.26%) and the pill (4.63%) were the most used methods. The major barriers to non-use and continued use were the fear of side effects (35.16%), infertility/difficulty in getting pregnant (21.98%), difficulty in getting preferred methods (20.88%) and the desire to have more children (27.27%). In addition, the age and education of participants were found to be significant predictors of contraceptive use.

Keywords: Contraceptives, family planning, barriers, Health Belief Model, Paga, Ghana.