Analysis of the use of oral contraceptive pills by women aged between 18-45 years in Mukono district: a case study of Namumira Anthony parish

Abstract

The unmet need of oral contraceptive pills is higher than the desired need i.e., the use of oral contraceptive pills is low and lags behind the 2020 goal of 50 percent. This is mainly because of inadequate funding of family planning activities. The study sought to find out the demographic and socio-economic factors that influenced the use of oral contraceptive pill in Namumira Anthony parish. Analysis was conducted on 100 household heads in Namumira Anthony parish. A binary logistic regression model was used to investigate the influence of demographic and socio economic on the use of oral contraceptive pill. Results indicated that out of the total household heads interviewed, majority used oral contraceptive pill (73%), more than half lived in urban areas (63%). Majority were aged 26 to 35 years (41%) and minority were aged 36 to 45 years (27%). Majority were Catholics (48%) followed by Muslims (26%) and the minority were Pentecostal (7%). Most of them were married (44%) followed by separated (21%) and the minority were widowed (16%). Majority were employed (43%) and minority were unemployed (20%). Majority had secondary education (35%), followed by those with tertiary education (29%) and the minority were those with no formal education (14%). The main factors highly associated with the use of oral contraceptive pills were employment status i.e., employed(p=0.005), student (p=0.008) hence employed women and women who were students were at least9 times more likely to use oral contraceptive pill than the unemployed and education level i.e., secondary (p=0.007) which implied that women with secondary education were 14 times more likely to use oral contraceptive pill than those with no formal education. Other statistically significant factors were age and marital status with (p=0.010, p= 0.032) respectively. Findings showed that age, marital status, employment status and education level influenced the use of oral contraceptive pills and factors like residence and religion did not. The study recommended that educating more women through encouraging girl child education and this will help women understand advantages of using oral contraceptives hence increase on the use of oral contraceptive pills. Creation of more opportunities both income and non-income generating which favour women and this shall help the unemployed women get income hence purchase and use more oral contraceptive pills.