Unmarried female adolescents' knowledge and attitudes towards the use of contraceptive services in the Maseru Health Service Area

[摘要] English: Adolescent reproductive health has become a major concern on theinternational agenda. Understanding adolescents' views about the use ofcontraceptives and contraceptive services is critical in developing effectivestrategies to prevent unwanted adolescent pregnanciesand abortions that areon the increase in Lesotho.The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the knowledge andattitudes of unmarried female adolescents towards the use of contraceptiveservices. A non-experimental exploratory and descriptive design was used. Asurvey method was used to gather data. The relevant literature and focusgroup interviews were used to compile a questionnaire, which was theprimary research technique. Probability sampling with a proportionalrepresentation was used to select a sample of 969 respondents between 13and 21 years from 29 high schools in the rural and urban areas of the MaseruHealth Service Area. All the data collected were analysed on a nominaldescriptive level. The findings of the study and the conclusions reached showed that there isinadequate knowledge of reproductive health and contraceptives;misconceptions; lack of knowledge regarding contraceptive services;contradicting attitudes towards the use of contraceptives; lack of adolescentfriendlyservices; a discrepancy between sexual activity and the use ofcontraceptives; and under-utilization of contraceptives and contraceptiveservices. Based on the above, recommendations were made that adolescents should beempowered with knowledge regarding contraceptives and reproductivehealth; misconceptions should be corrected; contraceptive services should beadvertised; and adolescent-friendly services created, thereby improving theutilization of contraceptives and contraceptive services. In the last place theneed for further research was emphasized.

[发布机构] University of the Free State