UTILISATION OF CONTRACEPTIVE SERVICES AMONG PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AT THE PRESIDENT'S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF CLINIC MATERNITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, IBADAN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Utilisation of contraceptive services especially among People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) has emerged as a means to prevent unintended pregnancy and transmission of HIV. Previous studies have not adequately investigated the use of contraceptives among PLWHA. Lack of serious contraceptive utilisation has contributed to the rise in unintended pregnancies and mother-to-child transmission of the virus. This study was therefore designed to investigate the utilisation of contraceptive services among PLWHA at the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) clinic, Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. The study was descriptive cross-sectional in design using a systematic random sampling technique. A total of 365 respondents were interviewed using semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire which included, socio-demographical characteristics, 18-point knowledge and 10-point perception of contraception scales. Knowledge scores ≤6, >6-12 and >12 were categorised a poor, fair and good respectively. Other contents were use of contraceptives, and factors hindering and promoting utilisation of contraceptive services. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and logistic regression at p=0.05. Age of respondents was 36±8.9 years were females. Eighty percent were married and 8.2%, 22.7%, 45.8% and 23.3% had informal, primary, secondary and tertiary education respectively. Sixty-one percent were from monogamous families. Respondent’s knowledge score was 10.15±5.06. Respondents who had poor, fair and good knowledge of contraceptives were 31.8%, 38.4% and 29.8% respectively. Perception score of respondents was 8.03±1.94. Respondents with positive and negative perceptions of contraceptive were 6.0% and 94.0% respectively. All respondents had heard about contraceptives and 32.4% received information from health workers. Seventy six percent reported that they had ever used contraceptives of which 227(57.0%) were current users. Condom (32.1%) was the most commonly used contraceptive. Factors hindering utilisation of contraceptive services were fear of confidentiality (55.9%) and fear of anti-retroviral interaction with contraceptive drugs (27.4%). Factors promoting utilisation of contraceptive services included child spacing (21.6%), prevention of unintended pregnancy (14.8%) and limiting child bearing (11.2%). Respondents’ level of education was significantly related to knowledge of contraceptives. Similarly, being female (83.3%) and monogamous family type (61.1%) were significantly related to current contraceptive use. Respondents’ with primary education were more likely to have poor knowledge of contraceptives compared with those that had secondary and tertiary education (OR=3.44; 95% CI: 1.62-7.29). Male respondents were less likely to utilise contraceptive services compared to their female counterparts (OR=0.12, 95% CI:0.04-0.36). Respondents had poor knowledge of contraception and fear of confidentiality was a major factor hindering utilisation of contraception services. It is therefore recommended that public enlightenment and health education strategies are need to improve knowledge and promote adoption of contraceptive services.