Knowledge, Attitudes And Perceptions Of Adolescent Girls Towards Prevention Of Unintended Pregnancy

Sex Education Project and Seminar Material

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of adolescent girls towards prevention of unintended pregnancy using Ikom Local Government Area, Cross River State as a case study. The study was carried out to find out whether adolescent girls have adequate knowledge on the factors associated with unintended pregnancy, assess the perception of adolescent girls on the possible means of preventing it and find out the attitude of adolescent girls towards the prevention of unwanted pregnancy. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprised of adolescent girls resident in Ikom Local Government Area, Cross River State. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 147 respondents and 141 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables, and mean scores. While the hypotheses was tested Chi-square statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that the factors associated with unintended pregnancy includes: unprotected sex, peer influence, sexual Abuse or Rape, and drunkenness. Furthermore, the study revealed that the perception of adolescent girls on the possible means of preventing unwanted pregnancy includes: sex abstinence, intake of oral birth control pills, use of condoms during sex, and avoiding possible rape incidence. Therefore, it is recommended that parents should spend much time with their teenage children particularly the adolescent girls, See their teenage children as friends and do everything possible to win their confidence as this will enable them to open up to them with vital issues concerning their sexualities for appropriate advice, and exempt their teenage daughters from any financial obligations in whatever form in the family. To mention but a few.

Table of Content

Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Tables
Abstract

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitation of the Study
1.9 Definition of Terms
1.10 Organisations of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions
4.4 Test of Hypotheses

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Alcohol and drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancy, the risk of contracting and transmitting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), HIV and unemployment are some of the challenges besetting South African youth today. These challenges make up the fabric of South Africa’s social reality, chief among them being adolescent sexual health.

Teenage pregnancy has been a global health issue for more than three decades. Concern over teenage sexual behaviour ranges from immaturity of teenagers to deal with parenthood and social problems with which teenage pregnancy comes. Nearly 16 million of 15-19 year old girls give birth each year, and most are found in developing countries (World Health Organisation, 2012).

The frequency of teenage unintended pregnancyamong the youth is alarming and has become more or less a fact of life in many nations of the world which Nigeria is no exception (Owusu, 2013; Chithra, 2016). Teenage unintended pregnancyhas also become a public concern which has generated a great deal of attention among policy makers and the general public (Baafi, 2015; Hays, Spiers, & Paterson, 2015). It remains a topical issue as government and other civic organizations seek to control and manage teenage unintended pregnancyrates (Wymelenberg, 1990). The government acknowledges that teenage sexuality needs special attention and an investment in teenage sexual health contributes to the national goal of enhancing reproductive health (Macleod & Tracey, 2010; Lule, Rosen, Singh, Knowles, & Behrman, 2006).

The term teenage pregnancy has been variously defined. According to Maliki (2012), teenage pregnancy is defined as a teenaged or under aged girl (usually within the ages of 13–19) becoming pregnant”. The term can also be defined as “a pregnancy, which occurs in girls between the ages of 14 – 19 years, which is unwanted and unplanned” (Anyanwu, Ter Goon, & Tugli, 2013). However, recent literature indicates that Teen age starts from the age of 12 to 19 years, thus being earlier than the previously held 13 or 14 years. No matter how one may define teenage pregnancy, it is a pregnancy of a woman of less than 19 years of age (Mothiba & Maputle, 2012).

Teenage unintended pregnancyhas an increased risk of preterm birth and teenage mothers have a worse mental health state compared to their peers (Kavanaugh & Anderson, 2013; Jolly, Sebire, Harris, Robinson, & Regan, 2000). Teenagers who fall pregnant are most likely to live with a single, unemployed parent or guardian and become an additional economic burden on the family (Kanku & Mash, 2010). Teenage unintended pregnancyhas been associated with frequent sex without reliable contraception, sexual coercion, poor sexual communication between partners, the perception that most of your friends have been pregnant or that one has to prove one’s fertility, poverty and promiscuity (Kanku & Mash, 2010; Mesatywa, Chikungwa, & Kabasa, 2013). It is also found commonly amongst young people who have been disadvantaged and have poor expectations with regard to either their education or job market (Mothiba & Maputle, 2012).

Thus, Honig (2012) argued that many factors are involved in teenage unintended pregnancyand many strategies need to be considered in attempts to decrease the rate. In general, teenagers believe that teenage unintended pregnancyis wrong and they report a need for more information about sexuality (Kanku & Mash, 2010; Marteleto, Lam, & Ranchhod, 2008). However, positive attitudes towards teenage unintended pregnancyare reported and a second pregnancy from teenage mothers has been associated with an absence of negative attitudes towards teenage unintended pregnancy(Rocca, Doherty, Padian, Hubbard, & Minnis, 2010). Family planning and sexual knowledge, acquired from parents, health workers, teachers, priests or mass media, can help to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies (Bhengu, 2016; Kanku & Mash, 2010).

However, pregnant teenagers do not represent a similar group, and therefore it is necessary to direct preventative interventions and efforts according to the differences among them, such as their cultural or educational and religious background (Kanku & Mash, 2010). In spite of having a much publicized and well-coordinated sex education programme, teenage pregnancy in Nigeria still remains unacceptably high.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

Even though there have been several researches and education, both formal and informal on teenage pregnancy in general and particularly on its causes and effects, as well as the development and introduction of contraceptives to prevent pregnancy, incident of teenage pregnancy is on the increase in recent times. Also, the perception of teenage youths on teenage unintended pregnancyhas not received much attention. It is in view of this that, this research sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of adolescent girls towards prevention of unintended pregnancy.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

Generally, this study seek to examine the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of adolescent girls towards prevention of unintended pregnancy.

Specific objectives are stated below.

Find out whether adolescent girls have adequate knowledge on the factors associated with unintended pregnancy.
Assess the perception of adolescent girls on the possible means of preventing ]
Find out the attitude of adolescent girls towards the prevention of unwanted pregnancy.

1.4 Research Questions

In carrying out this research the following questions were addressed,

What are the factors associated with unintended pregnancy?
What are the perception of adolescent girls on the possible means of preventing unwanted pregnancy?
What is the attitude of adolescent girls towards the prevention of unwanted pregnancy?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Ho: The attitude of adolescent girls towards the prevention of unwanted pregnancy is positive.
Ha: The attitude of adolescent girls towards the prevention of unwanted pregnancy is negative.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study aimed at exploring teenage knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of adolescent girls towards prevention of unintended pregnancy. Teenagers’ dialogues around pregnancy help in establishing how best teenage unintended pregnancycan be managed and controlled from the teenagers’ perspective. It is important that teenagers be actively involved in the design and development of interventions that focus on their circumstances. This ensures adoption of messages and practices as they take ownership of the intervention (Parker, 1994). Study findings are expected to shed more light on how teenagers perceive pregnancy thus contributing to wider policy making at community levels. The study also contributes to the existing literature on teenage unintended pregnancy. While the study takes the route of exploring knowledge attitudes and perceptions, it deviates from traditional knowledge, attitudes and perception studies in that it does not isolate the individual from the structural factors that influence and affect decision making. This study does not focus on private sexual behaviour but explores teenage sexuality; sexuality affects and implicates the individual and society.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study boarders on knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of adolescent girls towards prevention of unintended pregnancy. However the study will be delimited to Ikom Local Government Area, Cross River State.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

As every human endeavor is once faced with a constraint, the same was tenable during the period of this study. In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other tertiary institutions in other , states, and other countries in the world.

1.9 Operational Definitions of Terms

Adolescence:

This is a period of life beginning with the appearance of secondary sex characteristic and terminating with the cessation of somatic growth roughly from 13 to 19 years of age.

Teenage Pregnancy:

When teenager becomes pregnant.

1.10 Organization of the Studies

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, and selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter(chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings on the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of adolescent girls towards prevention of unintended pregnancy using Ikom Local Government Area, Cross River State as a case study.The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was to examine the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of adolescent girls towards prevention of unintended pregnancy using Ikom Local Government Area, Cross River State as a case study.The study specifically was aimed to find out whether adolescent girls have adequate knowledge on the factors associated with unintended pregnancy, assess the perception of adolescent girls on the possible means of preventing it and find out the attitude of adolescent girls towards the prevention of unwanted pregnancy.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 141 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents areadolescent girls resident in Ikom Local Government Area, Cross River State.

5.3 Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following conclusion.

The factors associated with unintended pregnancy includes: unprotected sex, peer influence, sexual Abuse or Rape, and drunkenness.
The perception of adolescent girls on the possible means of preventing unwanted pregnancy includes: sex abstinence, intake of oral birth control pills, use of condoms during sex, and avoiding possible rape incidence.
The attitude of adolescent girls towards the prevention of unwanted pregnancy is negative.

5.4 Recommendations

In view of the findings, the following recommendations are made:

Understanding the perception of teenage youth on teenage pregnancy is vital to the improvement and development of educational and health policies towards reducing teenage pregnancy.
Teenage youth as stakeholders should be involved in activities and policies towards the fight against the menace of teenage pregnancy both by government and community leaders.
Parents should spend much time with their teenage children particularly the adolescent girls, See their teenage children as friends and do everything possible to win their confidence as this will enable them to open up to them with vital issues concerning their sexualities for appropriate advice, and exempt their teenage daughters from any financial obligations in whatever form in the family.
Intensive sex education programmes including education on the use of contraceptives among teenage youth should be provided by both government institutions like the Ghana Health Service, the school, the family as well as religious institutions.
Health Service providers particularly providers of contraceptives should depict positive attitude towards teenage youth when they are assessing contraceptives.
Appropriate measures should be put in place to absorb teenage girls who get pregnant back to school particularly into vocational and technical schools after delivery when they show the readiness to do so.
Community leaders (Chiefs, Imams, pastors, etc.) should get involved in shaping a positive social environment that promote healthy behavior among adolescents which will ultimately boost their self-esteem and minimize negative influence of their peers on their sexual lives.
Measures should be put in place by the National Media Commission and the Ministry of Communication to regulate the activities of the media particularly television regarding some of the programmes being shown on the television.

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