Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Study of
Teenage Mothers about Contraceptives
Dr. Bhagwan Gamaji
Ambhore1* and Dr. Kavita Ambhore2
1Assistant
Professor, Dept. of Community Medicine, Dr. Ulhas Patil Medical College, Jalgaon Khurd (M.S.)
2Epidemiologist,
HFWTC, Aurangabad (M.S.)
ABSTRACT:
Background: The present approach in family planning is to provide a
"Cafeteria Choice" – to offer all contraceptive methods from which
the individual can choose according to his/her needs and choice.
Objective: To assess the knowledge,
attitude and practice of teen age mothers about use of various contraceptives
available.
Material and methods: Two hundred and nine teen-age mothers (10 to 19 years of
age) delivered in Shri Chhatrapati
Shivagi Maharaj General
Hospital, Solapur (M.S.) were taken as sample.
Statistical analysis: expressed in simple terms of proportion
Findings: 89.47 % mothers, at least knew about one or the other method of
birth spacing or control. Only 10.53 percent mothers were unaware about
contraceptives methods. The source of information about contraceptives was
television (T.V.) and peergroups.
Recommendations: To bring awareness and change in the behavior i.e. converting
knowledge in to practice, an intensive derive by media mix i.e. traditional and
modern tools for Information, Education and communication (IEC) have to be
organized.
KEYWORDS: Media mix, Cafeteria approach,
Contraceptive
INTRODUCTION:
The contraceptive technology is
of crucial importance in spreading family planning. There are several methods,
some require sustained motivation and repetitive action and others do not. It
is useful to bear in mind that no one method will do for everyone. The present
approach in family planning is to provide a "Cafeteria Choice" – to
offer all methods from which the individual can choose according to his/her
requirement (1). By keeping
in mind the above facts and as per recommendations of the World Health
Organization (W.H.O.) study group in 1957, that in order to get a comprehensive
picture of a disease, more and more such studies have to be carried out, Garg Narenra K. (2) and Garg Narenra K.and
Sharma A.B. (3), the authors have under taken this study with the objective to
assess the knowledge, attitude and practice about use of contraceptives
available by teen age mothers.
MATERIALS AND METHOD:
This study is a descriptive in nature and
cross sectional study conducted from 1st August 2001 to 31ST
July 2002. Two hundred and nine teen-age mothers (10 to 19 years of age)
delivered in Shri Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj General
Hospital, Solapur (M.S.) were taken as sample. An
interview schedule was introduced after pretesting the same. In present study,
the age considered was the actual age in completed years derived based on in
depth interrogation of each case.
For determining the age, date of birth as
per Christian calendar was considered as most important. However, sometimes it
was deemed necessary to consult the Indian almanacs to find out the correct
age.
The indirect method of calculation of age
was also adopted in some cases, which was based on asking about schooling,
school leaving, menarche, menarche- Two hundred and nine teen-age mothers (10
to 19 years of age) delivered in Shri Chhatrapati Shivagi Maharaj General Hospital, Solapur
(M.S.) were taken as sample pregnancy interval etc.
Knowledge about fertility control included
whether the teen-age mothers knew that there were some methods to postpone or
prevent pregnancy, whether they knew about the contraceptive methods and which
was the source of information.
OBSERVATIONS AND DISCUSSION:
On analysis of the collected
data and after applying statistical analysis it was revealed that out of 209
mothers, 187 (89.47 %) knew at least one or the other method of contraceptive
method, used for spacing or birth control. Most of the mothers were familiar
with oral pills (Mala-D), Condom, female sterilization and Cu-T. The source of
contraceptive information was T.V. and friends or relatives in most of the
mothers.
Some of the women knew about
contraceptive methods and wished to practice to avoid pregnancy but did not
practice –
(i)
Because of lack of scientific information about contraceptive and safety.
(ii). Social and family
disapproval because of religion and
traditional believes etc.
(iii). Lack of easy access to
contraceptives supplies and services combined with shyness to approach the
concerned person.
Knowledge about contraceptive
and practice were found more in Hindus as compared to Muslims. Mothers who were
unaware about fertility control were from low socioeconomic status residing in
slums or remote areas. They and their husband found illiterate and not exposed
to media messages.
Pathak K.B., Ram E.(4) noted in their
study that only 8.6% women in age group of 15 to 19 were using contraceptives. Pachauri S et al (5) found that the post partum fertility
control acceptance was 51.8% in adolescents in comparison to 56.7% in older
women. The findings of the present study were more or less similar to the
findings of other studies conducted by various authors across the globe.
TABLE-I: DISTRIBUTION OF STUDY SUBJECTS
AS PER THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CONTRASEPTIVES
|
Sr. No. |
Knowledge about Contraceptives |
Number |
|
1 |
Yes |
187 (89.47) |
|
2 |
No |
22 (10.53) |
|
Total |
|
209 (100.00) |
Figures in parenthesis denotes percentage
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
It appears that use of birth
spacing techniques was still considered a forbidden subject in majority of
families. In contrast, female sterilization as methods of contraception has
been almost universally accepted in Indian communities while use of any other
technique need mention of private parts i.e. sex organs, which people tend to
avoid in the discussion or counseling. There is an urgent need bring change in
attitude and practice of the peiole which can be done
simply by proper counseling and use of public communication channels.
REFERENCES:
(1).
Park J.E. Contraceptive methods; Text book of Preventive and Social Medicine (A
Treatise of Community health) 1st Edition, M/S/ Banarsi
Das Bhanot, Publishers, Jabalpu
(M.P.):PP-461
(2).Garg Narendra K.: Evaluation of
the impact of emesis and emesis plus purgation Therapy; Research J Pharmacology
and Pharmacodynamics:2 (2) March-April;2010:201-202.
(3).Garg Narendra K and Sharma A.B. :
Epidemiological profile of patients attending a tertiary care hospital,Muktsar,Punjab (India); Research J Pharmacology
and Pharmacodynamics:3 (6) November-December;2011:311-317
(4). Pathak K.B.,Ram E., Adolescent
motherhood; J.Fam.Wel.Ind.:39(1): 11,1993
(5) Pachauri S.,Jamshetdji A., Risk of teen age pregnancy; J. Obst. Gynaec. Ind. 33: 477: 1983
Received on 02.04.2013
Modified on 11.05.2013
Accepted on 20.05.2013
© A&V Publication all right
reserved
Research J. Pharmacology and
Pharmacodynamics. 5(3): May–June 2013, 162-163