Abstract:
According to the Ghana Statistical Service, based on the 2010 Population Housing Census, the population of Ghana increased by about 30.4% from 2000 to 2010 growing a rate of 2.5% per year. This means that the population of Ghana has been doubling every 28 years. The population of the country is expected to reach 50 million by the year 2039, just 25 years away. The rapid population growth rate and the expanding basic needs and wants of the people of Ghana arising from increasing economic growth have made population control and management of urgent importance. The need to manage the population of Ghana in line with available resources in an atmosphere of shared, inclusive and sustainable economic growth has become a paramount objective for government and non-government organisations. One mechanism that can be used to achieve effective population control and management is birth control through the use of contraceptives. Based on this underlying premise, this study was undertaken to assess the awareness of and factors influencing the use of birth control methods among women aged between 15 and 49 years, in their reproductive lifespan, at Abokobi, the capital town of the Ga East Municipality. The survey-based study was based on scientific sampling method using cluster sampling and it involved interviewing 120 women living in 99 houses within eight researcher-based clusters at Abokobi. The main objective of the study was to determine the awareness and use of birth control methods. The specific objectives were to determine extent of awareness of birth control methods, to establish the factors influencing the level of awareness of birth control methods, to ascertain the types and intensity of birth control methods and establish the factors influencing the use of birth control methods. The survey data collected were analysed using simple statistical analysis to derive frequencies and means of important variables related to awareness and use of various birth control methods. Multiple regression analysis was used to establish the factors that influenced awareness of birth control methods. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors influencing the use of birth control methods. The results of the analysis indicated that all the 120 women respondents were aware of at least one birth control method suggesting a universal awareness of birth control methods. In terms of level of awareness, the dual protection using male condom was the most familiar method of birth control followed by illegal abortion, female condom, injectable medicine, rhythm or calendar method, female pill and legal abortion. The multiple regression analysis confirmed that the age and educational attainment of the woman increased the level of awareness of birth control methods. Women who had children were also more aware of birth control methods than women without children. The logistic regression revealed that being in a current sexual relationship, the level of awareness of birth control methods and having children increased the likelihood of women using birth control methods. Women who were currently married and were between the ages of 20 and 40 years were less likely to use birth control methods possibly suggesting their demand for children.
Overall, the relatively low awareness of birth control methods exhibited by relatively younger and less educated women without children suggested the need of government and non-governmental organisations to establish and/or expand programmes related to sex education and family planning in junior and senior secondary schools and technical and vocational colleges in the country to minimise unwarranted pregnancies and thus control birth rates.