Bright Opoku Ahinkorah|John Elvis Hagan|Abdul?Aziz Seidu|Francis Sambah|Faustina Adoboi|Thomas Schack|Eugene Budu
Female adolescents’ reproductive health decision-making capacity and contraceptive use in sub-Saharan Africa: What does the future hold?
University of Technology Sydney|Bielefeld University|University of Cape Coast|James Cook University|University of Cape Coast|University of Cape Coast|Nurses' Training College, Ho|Bielefeld University|University of Cape Coast
introduction given social economic health consequences early parenthood unintended pregnancy risks hiv infection subsequent transmission urgent need understand adolescents make sexual reproductive decisions regarding contraceptive use study sought assess association female adolescents reproductive health decisionmaking capacity contraceptive usage materials methods data obtained pooled current demographic health surveys dhs conducted 32 countries subsaharan africa ssa unit analysis study adolescents sexual unions n 15858 bivariate multivariable analyses conducted using pearson chisquare tests binary logistic regression respectively analyses performed using stata version 142 results presented using odds ratios adjusted odds ratios aor statistical significance set p005 results results showed 6866 adolescents ssa capacity make reproductive health decisions overall prevalence contraceptive use 1887 ranging 184 chad 4575 zimbabwe adolescents capacity take reproductive health decisions higher odds using contraceptives aor 147 ci 131165 p 0001 odds contraceptive use among female adolescents increased age aged 19 years highest likelihood using contraceptives aor 312 ci 2273429 p 0001 higher level education likely female adolescents use contraceptives predominant among secondaryhigher education aor 250 ci 211296 p 0001 female adolescents cohabiting higher odds using contraceptives compared married aor 169 ci 147195 p 0001 odds contraceptive use highest among female adolescents richest wealth quintile compared poorest wealth quintile aor 165 ci 135201 p0001 conversely female adolescents rural areas less likely use contraceptives compared urban areas aor 078 ci 069089 p 0001 conclusion use general modern contraceptives among adolescents ssa remains low therefore need strengthen existing efforts contraceptives usage among adolescents ssa goal achieved empowering young females particularly rural areas level literacy low take positive reproductive health decisions prevent unintended teenage pregnancy hivaids sexually transmitted infections approach would help reduce maternal mortality early childbirth studied ssa countries