The knowledge, attitude and practice towards unprotected sex and emergency contraceptives among female university students in Tanzania: A case of St John’s University of Tanzania
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Date
2016-07-28
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St John's University of Tanzania
Abstract
This study intended at assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards unprotected sex and emergency contraceptives among female University students in Tanzania and was done at the St John’s University of Tanzania among female students aged 18 years and above. The specific objectives of the study included; assessing the students’ knowledge about Emergency Contraceptives (EC), assessing students’ attitudes about sex and how can these affect their use of Emergency Contraceptives, assessing the utilization level of emergency contraceptive, and lastly utilizing findings to develop practical recommendations to the female students. In so doing, the knowledge, attitude and practice towards unprotected sex and emergency contraceptives among female University students were identified by looking at People with whom the respondent lived with, Respondents’ Attitude towards sex, Awareness about emergency contraceptives among female students, Knowledge about emergency contraceptives among female students, Attitude towards emergency contraception among SJUT female students, sexual practice among female students, Practice on emergency contraception among SJUT female university students. The study was a quantitative and used descriptive design that provided valuable baseline information. The data collected was primary in nature and was collected through questionnaires. The major findings of the study were that; majority of the respondents were below 24 years of age, most of the respondents were unmarried different respondents lived with different people such as family, friends and others alone, it was all right to have a boyfriend during University life, it is wrong for unmarried students to kiss each other, it was unnatural for female to initiate sex, it was better to abstain from sex until marriage, extra marital sex led to marital problems, students had a favorable attitude towards emergency contraceptives, respondents got information about emergency conceptive from leaflets, radio and TV, from university or college,respondents used pills contraceptives as emergency contraceptives, respondents used drug the same as in ordinary contraception and others used the same drug but stronger, the time limit for taking emergency contraceptive pills after unprotected sex was between within 12 hours and 72 hours (3 days),majority of the respondents acknowledge that the time limit for having an IUD (coil) fitted after unprotected sex was 72 hours(3 days) and below, most respondents obtained emergency contraception from Hospital /health centre, Community worker, private clinic, Pharmacy and supermarket, IUCD was effective in preventing a pregnancy, emergency contraceptives pills were effective in preventing pregnancy, emergency birth control methods were safe for most women, respondents disagreed that the provision of EC to students would encourage promiscuity. The study recommended that St John’s University of Tanzania needs to strengthen Information education and communication (IEC),health sector should develop a number of intervention steps/work to do in terms of seminars/workshops, enlightenment, orientation and educating the students, EC methods especially Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs),condoms should be available at all points of drug dispensing institutes including private, NGO and Government pharmacies, and clinics, Information education and communication (IEC) materials like pamphlet, news papers, posters etc should be available in the SJUT library, Counseling should be conducted in view of supporting and encouraging