Adolescents’ knowledge, attitude and utilization of emergency contraceptive in Idjwi Island in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

Introduction: Unintended pregnancies are a major health problem and one of the main interventions to reduce unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions is the correct use of emergency contraception (EC). The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and utilization of EC among adolescent girls in Idjwi Island, Eastern of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 353 adolescent girls aged 15-24 who were recruited and who completed a pre-established questionnaire after they were accepted into the survey. Data collected were analyzed with STATA 16 software and the comparison of variables with the Chi-square test and a significance threshold of 5%. Results: We found that 293 (83.0%) reported having ever had sexual intercourse and 220 had heard of EC. The proportion of respondents with sufficient knowledge was 59.1% (130/220) and the assessment of attitude towards the EC shows that 81.8% (180/220) of the respondents had a positive attitude towards EC. Of 293 respondents who had ever had sexual intercourse, 148 (50.5%) reported having ever used EC. Respondents with a secondary educational level (adjusted odds ratio =14.3 [7.2-28.3]) and university educational level (adjusted odds ratio =4.8 [1.8-13.0]) were more likely to use EC compared to those with a primary educational level. Conclusion: The study shows that the level of EC utilization was medium in Idjwi Island. Educational level was a major predictor of EC utilization. Therefore, it is recommended that strategies be developed to improve EC utilization by increasing the level of EC awareness among adolescent girls.