Knowledge and attitude on emergency contraception among adolescent students of an urban school

Abstract

Introduction: Emergency contraception (EC) is used to prevent pregnancy in the first 5 days after sexual intercourse, mainly unprotected intercourse, contraceptive failure, rape or coerced unprotected sex. This study aims to identify the knowledge and attitude on EC and associated factors among adolescent students.
 Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted to find out knowledge and attitude on EC among adolescent students of both sex, grade 11 and 12 at Advanced Academy, a private school in Kumaripati, Lalitpur, Nepal, during 19 January 2018 to 13 February 2018. Non probability convenience sampling and self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Association of demographic variables with knowledge and attitude of EC and further correlation between knowledge and attitude were analysed. The SPSS 16 was used for data analysis.
 Result: Out of 343 students, 211 (61.5%) had fair knowledge of EC, 125 (36.5%) poor and 7 (2%) good knowledge. Favourable attitude towards EC was found in 285 (83.1%) and unfavourable in 58 (16.9%). The mean age was 17.33 ± 0.98 years, 206 (60.1%) in 15-17 year age group (middle adolescence), female 143 (41.7%), and 160 (46.7%) from within Kathmandu valley. There was significant positive co-relation between knowledge and attitude and no significant association between demographic variables with knowledge and attitude.
 Conclusion: Majority of adolescence students 15-21 years of age had favourable attitude but less knowledgeable in regard to emergency contraception.

Knowledge and Attitude on Emergency Contraception Among Higher Secondary Students

“…In the study finding of Godhabari, Nepal 19 common source was a school (48.4%). Friends and peers were the main sources of information (80.0%) in Eritrea 13 and in Nigeria 24 . Adolescents and young adults may not prefer to seek reproductive health care services, because of confidentiality concerns, limited options for transportation to a clinic, and the cost of services.…”

“…In the present study, 52.3% of respondents had a favorable attitude this finding is comparable with the findings of a study conducted by Thapa et al, 2016 23 in which 57.44% and in Ethiopia 21 62.9% had a favorable attitude. Some studies revealed that the maximum number of respondents (93.4%) Nepal 11, (83.1%) Shakya et al 24 and (74.7%) India 15 had a favorable attitude. Good knowledge might not always reflect a good attitude but it is evident from the study that respondent's attitudes regarding different aspects of attitudes like the majority that EC after unsafe sex is beneficial, EC is not only for married women and raped victims only, EC can't be used as a regular method of contraception, the friendlier environment needs to be created to discuss of EC as found favorable as they had a good level of knowledge.…”

Knowledge and Practice on Emergency Contraceptive Pills Among Non-Health Bachelor Level Female Students in Kathmandu

“…11 According to the research held at Lalitpur among adolescent students, 211 (61.5%) had adequate knowledge of ECP, while 125 (36.5%) had inadequate knowledge of ECP. 9 . 37.5% of students were found to have adequate knowledge in the study of India.…”

“…8 A study in Lalitpur among adolescent students showed that 61.5% had adequate knowledge on ECP, and the result shows the association between knowledge and attitude, but no significant association between demographic variables with knowledge and attitude was found. 9 According to the study on "Knowledge and Use of Emergency Contraceptive Pills among Bachelor's Level Female Students of Kathmandu Valley", it was found that 91.4% of the respondents had ever heard about emergency contraceptives. About 4.6% of the undergraduate female students used ECP.…”