Open AccessPsychosocial factors influencing contraceptive use among adolescent mothers in the Volta Region of Ghana: application of the Health Belief Model
Author(s) -
Paa Yeboah Akonor,
Martin Amogre Ayanore,
Judith A. Anaman-Torgbor,
Elvis Enowbeyang Tarkang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
african health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.391
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1729-0503
pISSN - 1680-6905
DOI - 10.4314/ahs.v21i4.43
Subject(s) - medicine , psychosocial , health belief model , pregnancy , logistic regression , population , confidence interval , family planning , childbirth , cross sectional study , demography , gynecology , obstetrics , public health , environmental health , health education , psychiatry , nursing , research methodology , pathology , sociology , biology , genetics
Background: Globally, complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among pregnant women aged 15 to 19 years. This study investigated the psychosocial factors influencing contraceptive use among adolescentmothers in the Volta Region using the Health Belief Model (HBM).Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 422 adolescent mothers. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the strength of association between the independent and the dependent variables at a p-value less than 0.05.Results: The prevalence of contraceptive use was 18.7%. Concerning perceived susceptibility, there was a significant association between contraceptive use and the perception of being at risk of pregnancy complications (p<0.001). Perceived barriers showed a significant association between fear of side-effects of contraceptives and contraceptive use (p=0.007). Concerning perceived self-efficacy, there was a significant association between contraceptive use and confidence to suggest to a partner to use contraceptives (p=0.003); confidence to ask for contraceptives from health facilities (p<0.001) and confidence to use contraceptives (p<0.001).Conclusion: Programmes to increase contraceptive use should aim at heightening the perception of risk of pregnancy complications, reduce barriers to contraceptive use and increase the skills in negotiating contraceptive use.
Keywords: Contraceptive use; Adolescent mothers; Health Belief Model; Volta Region; Ghana.