Factors Influencing Intention to use Family Planning among Ekiti State Female Farmers

Abstract:

Background: A substantial body of evidence has revealed that family planning is a cost-effective public health and development intervention. It has also been established that family planning is a means to control population growth towards the achievement of goals 1,2 and 3 of the sustainable development goals. However, the contraceptive prevalence rate of Nigerian women especially remains low with a host of factors militating against the uptake of family planning contraceptives. Objective: This paper investigated the various factors that are limiting the uptake of family planning and is thereby causing a low contraceptive uptake rate among female farmers of reproductive age (15 – 49 ) in Ekiti state Nigeria. Methods: Multiple regression analysis was used to analyse demographic variables and other factors affecting the intention to use family planning among the study population with a sample size of 350 in 16 LGAs/ ADPs of Ekiti State. Result: the result showed that a percentage increase in the level of each of the demographic variables and other factors like family planning perception, attitude, knowledge, and spousal support will increase the level of intention to use family planning. Conclusion: This study concluded that factors like fear of side effects, myths & misconceptions, religious barriers, spousal communication, and education have a significant relationship with the intention to use family planning.