A study on how informed the University of Zambia students (Great East Road Campus) are about family planning.

Abstract

This descriptive research study was conducted at the university of Zambia, Great East Road Campus,in Lusaka in May,1988. The Literature review was based on family planning information in general and the problems that may arise due to lack of family planning information , knowledge and practice. Data was collected by means of self devised questionnaire from a sample of forty (40) students. The sample comprised of twenty-two (22) female and eighteen (18) male students. The sample included students from first to fourth years of studv and were all full-time students. The results of the study revealed that the students had some knowledge about family planning and a few practicing it. Nearly all students had some knowledge of family planning methods although the male students showed that they were more knowledgeable regarding modern methods of family planning.

The study revealed that male students were better informed than female students and more male students practiced family planning, religion did not affect the students practice of family planning but most students attitude to family planning had been affected by their upbringing. There was however, an indication that there is need for more family planning information among these students since there were some who did not know any family planning method and some did not even know of the existence of a family planning clinic at the University of Zambia (UNZA). Some of the female students did not see the point of using a contraceptive since they were single and all of these students were in the child bearing age.