Analysis of factors influencing access to reproductive health services and information: (A case study of Makerere University)
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to analyze the factors influencing access to Reproductive Health Services and Information (RHSI). The study further had four specific objectives which included; to examine the relationship between one’s religion and access to RHSI, to establish the relationship between one’s age and access to RHSI, to understand the effect of one’s education level on the access to RHSI and last but not least, to establish the relationship between one’s sex and access to RHSI.
The study population was the female and male residents of Makerere University, Kampala District. The researcher determined the sample size according to Cochran’s formula whereby the target population was determined at a margin error of 0.05 at 95% confidence interval to get a sample size of 100. The process of data analysis involved several stages; the completed questionnaires was edited for completeness and consistency, checked for errors and omissions and then coded. Descriptive statistics, Chi-Square test and logistic regression were all used to do the analysis.
Chi-square results showed that the p-value of religion is 0.01 which is less than 0.05. This therefore implies that there is a significant relationship between religion and access to RHSI at 95% significance level. Chi-square results further showed that the p-value of age is 0.914 which is greater than 0.05. Chi-square results also showed that the p-value of education level is 0.01 which is less than 0.05. Chi-square results as seen lastly showed that the p-value of sex is 0.045 which is less than 0.05. This therefore implies that there is a significant relationship between sex and access to RHSI at 5% significance level. Logistic regression results showed that from the four variables that where considered in the model, only sex significantly affects access to the Reproductive Health Services and Information (RHSI) at Makerere University (Wald=222, df=1, p<0.05). Furthermore, the coefficient for sex (female) is 154.222 which is positive and significant, indicating that the females are more likely to access RHSI than the males.
The study therefore recommends that the government of Uganda through the ministry of health should provide the more Reproductive Health Services and Information (RHSI) to the women since according to the study results females are more likely to access RHSI than the males.