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Female adolescents' reproductive health decision-making capacity and contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa: What does the future hold?

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION:Given the social, economic, and health consequences of early parenthood, unintended pregnancy, and the risks of HIV infection and subsequent transmission, there is an urgent need to understand how adolescents make sexual and reproductive decisions regarding contraceptive use. This study sought to assess the association between female adolescents' reproductive health decision-making capacity and their contraceptive usage. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Data was obtained from pooled current Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in 32 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The unit of analysis for this study was adolescents in sexual unions [n = 15,858]. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted using Pearson chi-square tests and binary logistic regression respectively. All analyses were performed using STATA version 14.2. Results were presented using Odds Ratios [OR] and adjusted Odds Ratios [AOR]. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS:The results showed that 68.66% of adolescents in SSA had the capacity to make reproductive health decisions. The overall prevalence of contraceptive use was 18.87%, ranging from 1.84% in Chad to 45.75% in Zimbabwe. Adolescents who had the capacity to take reproductive health decisions had higher odds of using contraceptives [AOR = 1.47; CI = 1.31-1.65, p < 0.001]. The odds of contraceptive use among female adolescents increased with age, with those aged 19 years having the highest likelihood of using contraceptives [AOR = 3.12; CI = 2.27-34.29, p < 0.001]. Further, the higher the level of education, the more likely female adolescents will use contraceptives, and this was more predominant among those with secondary/higher education [AOR = 2.50; CI = 2.11-2.96, p < 0.001]. Female adolescents who were cohabiting had higher odds of using contraceptives, compared to those who were married [AOR = 1.69; CI = 1.47-1.95, p < 0.001]. The odds of contraceptive use was highest among female adolescents from the richest wealth quintile, compared to those from the poorest wealth quintile [AOR = 1.65; CI = 1.35-2.01, p<0.001]. Conversely, female adolescents in rural areas were less likely to use contraceptives, compared to those in urban areas [AOR = 0.78; CI = 0.69-0.89, p < 0.001]. CONCLUSION:The use of general and modern contraceptives among adolescents in SSA remains low. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen existing efforts on contraceptives usage among adolescents in SSA. This goal can be achieved by empowering these young females, particularly those in the rural areas where the level of literacy is very low to take positive reproductive health decisions to prevent unintended teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDs and other sexually transmitted infections. This approach would help reduce maternal mortality and early childbirth in studied SSA countries.

SUBMITTER: Ahinkorah BO

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7351194 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Female adolescents' reproductive health decision-making capacity and contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa: What does the future hold?

Ahinkorah Bright Opoku BO Hagan John Elvis JE Seidu Abdul-Aziz AA Sambah Francis F Adoboi Faustina F Schack Thomas T Budu Eugene E

PloS one 20200710 7

<h4>Introduction</h4>Given the social, economic, and health consequences of early parenthood, unintended pregnancy, and the risks of HIV infection and subsequent transmission, there is an urgent need to understand how adolescents make sexual and reproductive decisions regarding contraceptive use. This study sought to assess the association between female adolescents' reproductive health decision-making capacity and their contraceptive usage.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>Data was obtained from po ...[more]

PMID: 32649697

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Project description:IntroductionPregnancy termination is one of the key issues that require urgent attention in achieving the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. The reproductive health decision-making (RHDM) capacity of women plays a key role in their reproductive health outcomes, including pregnancy termination. Based on this premise, we examined RHDM capacity and pregnancy termination among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).Materials and methodsWe pooled data from the women's files of the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of 27 countries in SSA, which are part of the DHS programme. The total sample was 240,489 women aged 15 to 49. We calculated the overall prevalence of pregnancy termination in the 27 countries as well as the prevalence in each individual country. We also examined the association between RHDM capacity, socio-demographic characteristics and pregnancy termination. RHDM was generated from two variables: decision-making on sexual intercourse and decision-making on condom use. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted and presented as Crude Odds Ratios (COR) and Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Statistical significance was declared p<0.05.ResultsThe prevalence of pregnancy termination ranged from 7.5% in Benin to 39.5% in Gabon with an average of 16.5%. Women who were capable of taking reproductive health decisions had higher odds of terminating a pregnancy than those who were incapable (AOR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.17-1.24). We also found that women aged 45-49 (AOR = 5.54, 95% CI = 5.11-6.01), women with primary level of education (AOR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.20-1.17), those cohabiting (AOR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04-1.11), those in the richest wealth quintile (AOR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02-1.11) and women employed in the services sector (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.27-1.44) were more likely to terminate pregnancies. Relatedly, women who did not intend to use contraceptive (AOR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.39-1.56), those who knew only folkloric contraceptive method (AOR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.18-1.32), women who watched television almost every day (AOR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.20-1.24) and those who listened to radio almost every day (AOR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.04-1.18) had higher odds of terminating a pregnancy. However, women with four or more children had the lowest odds (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.54-0.60) of terminating a pregnancy.ConclusionWe found that women who are capable of taking reproductive health decisions are more likely to terminate pregnancies. Our findings also suggest that age, level of education, contraceptive use and intention, place of residence, and parity are associated with pregnancy termination. Our findings call for the implementation of policies or the strengthening of existing ones to empower women about RHDM capacity. Such empowerment could have a positive impact on their uptake of safe abortions. Achieving this will not only accelerate progress towards the achievement of maternal health-related SDGs but would also immensely reduce the number of women who die as a result of pregnancy termination in SSA.

Project description:ObjectiveWe investigated the association between women's healthcare decision making and cervical cancer screening uptake in sub-Saharan Africa.DesignSecondary data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of six countries in sub-Saharan Africa were used. We employed multilevel binary logistic regression modelling.SettingSub-Saharan Africa.ParticipantsWomen aged 15-49 years in Benin (n=5282), Côte d'Ivoire (n=1925), Cameroon (n=7558), Kenya (n=6696), Namibia (n=1990) and Zimbabwe (n=5006).Primary outcome measuresCervical cancer screening uptake.ResultsThe overall prevalence of cervical cancer screening across the six sub-Saharan African countries was 13.4%. Compared with women whose healthcare decisions were made solely by husbands/partners/someone else, the likelihood of cervical cancer screening uptake was significantly higher among women who took healthcare decisions in consultation with their husbands/partners (aOR=1.38; 95% CI 1.19 to 1.59), but highest among those who made healthcare decisions alone (aOR=1.66; 95% CI 1.44 to 1.91). Women aged between 40 and 45 years (aOR=5.18; 95% CI 3.15 to 8.52), those with higher education (aOR=2.13; 95% CI 1.57 to 2.88), those who had ever heard of cervical cancer (aOR=32.74; 95% CI 20.02 to 53.55), read newspaper or magazine at least once a week (aOR=2.11; 95% CI 1.83 to 2.44), listened to the radio at least once a week (aOR=1.35; 95% CI1.18 to 1.52) and those in households with richest wealth index (aOR=1.55; 95% CI 1.20 to 2.00) had significantly higher odds of screening for cervical cancer compared to their counterparts.ConclusionWomen who are able to make autonomous healthcare decisions and those who practice shared decision making are more likely to uptake cervical cancer screening. Therefore, policy interventions should focus on empowering women to be able to take autonomous healthcare decisions or shared decision making while targeting subpopulations (ie, multiparous and rural-dwelling women, as well as those in other religious affiliations aside from Christianity) that are less likely to uptake cervical cancer screening. Also, the radio and print media could be leveraged in raising awareness about cervical cancer screening to accelerate cervical cancer screening uptake in sub-Saharan Africa.

Project description:BackgroundPoor patient-provider communication, among other reasons, is a notable barrier to contraceptive decision-making among Latinas. Patient-centered approaches to contraceptive counseling that optimize communication align with shared decision-making (SDM) -which is associated with satisfaction and continued contraceptive use among various populations.ObjectiveTo examine associations of patient-provider communication and importance of SDM tenets with consistent contraceptive use among a population of Latinas.Patient involvementFormative work for this study included prior qualitative and quantitative research with Latinas who expressed the importance of patient-provider communication during contraceptive counseling and therefore were instrumental in problem definition.MethodsCross-sectional surveys were administered to Latinas ages 15-29 years. Patient-provider communication, patient-reported importance of specific SDM tenets, and consistent contraception use were measured and analyzed for associations.Results103 Latinas (mean age = 21.4) participated. 33% of participants<21 years were using contraception consistently vs. 67% for those ≥ 21 (p = 0.003). Among participants ≥ 21, consistent users reported higher communication scores compared to inconsistent users and non-users (p = 0.042). For participants< 21, consistent users were more likely than inconsistent users and non-users to report that 2 SDM tenets (discussion of contraceptive preferences and avoidance of race/ethnic-based judgement) are important (p = 0.052, 0.028, respectively).DiscussionPatient-provider communication was especially important for Latinas ≥ 21 while using an SDM approach during counseling was highly valued by those<21. Patient-centered approaches to contraceptive counseling provide opportunities to optimize healthcare delivery for this vulnerable population.Practical valueResults from this research demonstrate that patient-centered communication is highly valued by Latina study participants and is an important consideration in their contraceptive counseling. Clinicians should consider employing techniques such as SDM as they seek to provide patient-centered care during contraceptive counseling for this patient population.

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Female adolescents' reproductive health decision-making capacity and contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa: What does the future hold?

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Female adolescents' reproductive health decision-making capacity and contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa: What does the future hold?

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