Correlates of Information-Seeking Behaviour and use of LARCs among Women in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract:

Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) methods are highly effective methods of birth control including intrauterine devices (IUD) and the implant. There is often a lower rate of usage with these methods due to factors such as high upfront cost, invasive insertion methods, and possible side effects. This research established the correlates of information seeking behavior and use of long acting reversible contraceptives among women attending infant welfare clinic in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State. A cross-sectional survey research design of the was employed in the study. Two hundred and sixty-three (263) women attending infant welfare clinic were sampled for this study. A self-designed questionnaire was the main instrument used for data collection, which was pilot tested through test-re-test and yielded a reliability coefficient (index) of 0.813. Five research questions and four hypotheses were formulated and tested. Analyses of data was done using both descriptive (frequency counts and percentages) and inferential (multiple regression) statistics fixed at the .05 significant levels. The findings from this study showed significant associations between knowledge on information about LARC, media influence, enabling factors and the level of use of LARC and information seeking behavior on long acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) among women attending infant welfare clinic in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State. In conclusion, women's information seeking behaviour on the use of long acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) was significantly associated with knowledge, media, policies, cost and availability of LARC as well as the level of use of LARC. The study therefore recommends that there is the need for Local Government health Officials to invest in LARC sensitization campaign for both rural and urban communities’ strategies towards such efforts would help to increases the prevalence of modern contraception including LARC in the country.