FACTORS THAT DETERMINE THE USE OF CONTRACEPTIVES AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN CHANCHAGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGER STATE

Abstract

The use of contraception among women of reproductive age is a critical component of reproductive health and family planning initiatives. In Nigeria, especially in rural areas, several factors influenced contraceptive utilization thereby limiting fully utilization of family planning among women. This study investigates the factors that determine the use of contraceptives among women of reproductive age in Chanchaga Local Government Area, Niger State.  The study used survey research design. The population of the study comprises of 80,894 women of reproductive age. Simple random sampling was utilized to select 300 women from the population. Questionnaire was employed to collect data from the respondent. Data collected were arranged and structured using SPSS software package. The study used percentage and frequency distribution to analyze the individual response of the respondents while regression analysis was used to determine the factors that affect the use of contraception among the women of reproductive age. The findings of the study shows that education (0.173), income (0.486), proximity to health facility (0.208) exert direct relationship with use of contraceptive among women of reproductive age. . Conversely, the analysis uncovers a negative relationship between the desire to have children and contraceptive use, with a coefficient of -0.428, Cultural beliefs, religious convictions, and concerns about side effects also exhibit negative coefficient respectively. Furthermore, the study revealed a significant link between education, income, proximity to health facility, desire to have children and cultural belief as major determinants that influence the use of contraceptive among women of reproductive age in the study area. On the other hand, religious belief and fear of side effect were not significant in determining the use of contraception. The study therefore recommends that family planning service providers should educate the couples on the effectiveness of family planning choice and benefits as these ensure acceptance and utilization.