A Survey of Knowledge and use of Modern Contraceptives among Female Students in a Public University in Ghana

Introduction: Studies have shown that knowledge of contraceptives, especially among undergraduate female students, remains limited and the rate of premarital unprotected sexual activity, unwanted pregnancies, and illegal abortions remain higher among university students in Ghana.

Aim: This study was carried out to assess the knowledge and use of modern contraceptives among female undergraduate students at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.

Methodology: A descriptive survey design was adopted as the framework for the study. A purposive sampling method was used to deploy 108 sexually active female undergraduate students from a department in the Faculty of Science Education using structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (IBM SPSS, Version 25) and presented using quantitative metrics.

Results and discussion: The results of the study showed that the majority of the respondents (89.8%) have heard about a modern contraceptive method. 57.4% of the respondents reported that they used contraceptives in the past, while 36 (58.1%) were current contraceptive users. The most popular methods of contraception used were pills (96.9%), female condoms (72.2%), and injectable (52.6%). The main sources of information about contraceptives were found to be social media and followed by peers, radio/TV, and health workers. Reasons that most influenced the decision of respondents to use modern contraceptives included knowledge of modern contraceptives, availability of service points, partner support, and religious beliefs. Even though participants were sexually active, the rate of contraceptive use was found to be relatively low.

Conclusion: Even though the majority of the respondent knew of a particular contraceptive, a significant number of them were found not utilising it. There is the need for active promotion of modern contraceptives among female university students to bridge the gap between knowledge and use.