FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PRACTICE OF FAMILY PLANNING AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN TWO SELECTED MOTHER AND CHILD HOSPITALS, LAGOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Family planning program is a major pillar and best health investment for the attainment of good maternal and child health which has become a major public health issue in Nigeria over the years. Therefore, the objective of the study was to assess factors influencing the practice of family planning among women of reproductive age in two selected Mother and Child Hospitals in Lagos.

Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was utilized and data collected using pre-tested self-developed structured questionnaire with reliability index of 0.78, using the sample size of 399. Facilities were selected using purposive sampling method while the respondents were selected using simple random sampling techniques. The totals of 399 questionnaires were administered with the help of 4 trained assistant data collectors. All the questionnaires were retrieved and 395 were found suitable for analysis. Data were analysed using SPSS version 22 software. Two research questions were used and four hypotheses tested using descriptive and inferential statistics (chi-square and regression) at 0.05 level of significance

Findings revealed respondents mean age of 28.4+4.21years, a literate population with tertiary (56.7%) and secondary (35.4%) education, a married population (85.8%) and sexually active (37.7%), predominantly Christians (80.8%),from monogamous family (89.1%). Over half(52.9%) of the respondents were self- employed and 27.3% civil servants with regular average monthly income of 20,000-49,000(25.8%) and 50,000-99,000(21.8%). Finding also revealed 98.2% awareness and good knowledge of benefits family planning by 87.4% with utilization rate of 50.9% out of which only 82% were currently on a method with 60.1% satisfaction rate. Study also showed that majority of family planning users were dependent mostly on natural methods which are less effective with poor compliance rate due to its user’s dependent which comprises of prolonged breastfeeding (84.4%), Rhythm (72.2%) and withdrawal method (54.1%) in addition to condom use and oral contraceptive pills by 94.2 % and 90.7% respectively while low utilization of recently advocated long-acting reversible contraceptives were recorded. Factors reported to hinder the utilization of family planning were majorly personal and socio-cultural which include sexual displeasure (92.1%), fear of side effects (73.2%), lack of interest(59.5%), male factors (56.8%) and desire for more children by 53.7%. Statistically, all the demographic factors which include individual income, knowledge and perception about family planning, sexual activeness, religion, marital status and spouse’s desired number of children were found to have statistical significant influence on their with p-values of 0.000 except their age(P - 0.286)

The study concluded that utilization of family planning was fair with good knowledge but the practice was limited mostly by personal and socio-cultural factors. Therefore, improved mass education strategies and men involvement in family planning is recommended. Adequate public education should be intensified with focus on personal and socio-cultural factors with active men and community stake holders’ involvement in family planning issue for improved utilization of family planning.