Factors influencing modern contraceptive use among Ugandan women aged 15-49 in Karamoja and West Nile regions

Abstract

Over the years, there has been a noticeable decline in the global fertility rate from 3.2 live births per woman in 1990 to 2.5 in 2019. However, fertility decline has been slower in sub-Saharan Africa compared to other regions. Modern contraceptive methods have been considered more effective than the traditional methods. Karamoja and West Nile have the lowest modern contraceptive use rates and highest fertility in Uganda. This study used the 2016 UDHS dataset to examine the factors influencing MC (modern contraception) among married and sexually active females of reproductive age in Karamoja and West Nile regions. Univariate descriptive tables were used to show the distribution of respondents by their characteristics while cross-tabulations were used at bivariate level to show rates of MC by characteristics of respondents. Pearson’s chi-squared tests were used to ascertain the association between the independent variables and MC at 95% CI (p-value < 0.05). Results show that modern contraceptive use varied significantly by age at first sex, number of living children, education level of the respondent, partner’s education level, household wealth status, religion, and decision-maker for use of contraceptives (p-value < 0.05). The study recommends interventions to address accessibility of contraceptive services in these regions, awareness creation, and empowerment of women through employment and education.