FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CURRENT USE OF MODERN CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS AMONG YOUNG MARKET WOMEN WORKING AT ST. BALIKUDDEMBE MARKET IN KAMPALA, UGANDA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Molly Nambajjwe; David  Musoke; Joseph Matovu

doi:10.51168/sjhrafrica.v4i3.315

Authors

Molly Nambajjwe Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
David Musoke Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Joseph Matovu Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51168/sjhrafrica.v4i3.315

Keywords:

Modern contraceptive methods, factors associated with FP use, young market women

Abstract

Background:

Despite increased access to modern contraception among young women globally, little is known about modern contraceptive use among women working in the informal sector who are usually missed out on in most national surveys. We assessed the factors associated with modern contraceptive use among young market women in Kampala, Uganda.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 343 young women aged 15-24 years, working at St. Balikuddembe Market in Kampala, the Capital City of Uganda. Data were collected on socio-demographic and behavior characteristics including the current use of modern FP methods. We computed the proportion of young women who reported the current use of modern FP methods and determined the factors associated with the current use of modern FP methods using a modified Poisson regression model.

Results:

Of 343 young market women, 56% (192) were food handlers. Nearly half of the women (48.4, n=166) had at least one biological child. Forty-seven percent (160) of the women reported the current use of modern FP methods. Having 1-2 living children (adjusted Prevalence Ratio [aPR] =1.81, 95% Confidence Interval [95%CI]: 1.20, 2.72) or three or more living children (aPR=2.20, 95%CI: 1.33, 3.64), age 20-24 years (aPR=2.15, 95%CI: 1.46, 3.17), having secondary education (aPR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.05, 7.21), and having a positive attitude towards modern FP (aPR=1.35, 95%CI: 1.07, 1.71) were positively associated with current use of modern FP methods.

Conclusion:

The use of modern contraception among young market women remains sub-optimal. Having at least one living child, older age, and secondary education were the factors associated with modern contraceptive use in this population.

Recommendation:

Our findings suggest a need for innovative, target-specific FP interventions with a focus on several biological children, level of education, and age, to improve the uptake of modern contraceptive services among young market women in this setting.

Author Biographies

Molly Nambajjwe, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.

Ms. Molly Nambajjwe is an Environmental Health Scientist with an interest in team leadership, research, teaching, and promoting maternal health. She graduated with a Bachelor of Environmental Health Science from Makerere University in 2021. She is currently enrolled in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces as a Cadet trainee.

David Musoke, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.

Dr. David Musoke is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health at Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH). He holds a Bachelor’s in Environmental Health Sciences from Makerere University, MSc in International Primary Health Care from the University of London (UK), and a Ph.D. in Public Health from Cardiff Metropolitan University (UK). Dr. Musoke is the Chair of the Grants and Research Capacity Building Committee, and Coordinator of the short course in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) at MakSPH. His research interests include communicable diseases (particularly malaria), environmental health (including WASH), health systems (such as health-seeking behaviour, and human resources for health particularly Community Health Workers [CHWs]), non-communicable diseases, One Health, and antimicrobial resistance. He has also used photovoice, a community-based participatory research methodology, in his research including among youth and CHWs. He is an Academic Editor for BMC Public Health, BMC Health Services Research, PLOS Global Public Health, and the Journal of Environmental and Public Health. His academic output to date includes over 100 peer-reviewed publications, 4 book chapters, and over 100 conference presentations.

Joseph Matovu, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.

Dr. Joseph KB Matovu is a Senior Research Associate in the Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health at Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH), Kampala, Uganda, and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Community and Public Health at Busitema University Faculty of Health Sciences, Mbale, Uganda. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Social Administration from Makerere University (Kampala, Uganda); a Master of Health Science (MHS) in International Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Health from Makerere University. His research interests include HIV prevention research (with a particular focus on HIV self-testing and the use of social networks to improve HIV prevention advocacy), sexual and reproductive health (including cervical cancer screening, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, and FP-HIV integration), social and behaviour change communication, urban health, implementation science, and the integration of social and behavioural sciences into epidemiologic research. He is a peer reviewer with many international scientific journals; an Associate Editor with AIDS and Behaviour and BMC Public Health journals; a Guest Associate Editor with Frontiers in Public Health journal and an Academic Editor with PLoS ONE. He is a mixed-methods specialist with nearly 100 peer-reviewed, scientific papers; over 50 conference presentations, and a book chapter.