Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Unsafe Abortion Among Female Undergraduates of Osun State University (Osogbo Main Campus)
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background
Millions of unsafe abortions are performed every year, undergraduates with unintended pregnancies may result in unsafe abortions to prevent related stigma and may result in related complications such as bleeding and even death. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of unsafe abortion among female undergraduate students of Osun State University.
Methods
This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among 250 undergraduates at Osun State University’s main campus selected using multistage sampling techniques. Data were collected using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire designed in line with study objectives and analysed using IBM SPSS version 23.0. Data analysis included univariate using frequency distributions and bivariate analysis employing chi-square tests to examine the association between variables. Findings were presented using charts and tables with the statistical significance set at p<0.05.
Result
The findings of this study revealed that 96.0% of the respondents had good knowledge of unsafe abortion, while 60.4% held unsupportive attitudes towards unsafe abortion. Only 13.2% had undergone an unsafe abortion, primarily among those engaging in frequent unprotected sexual intercourse and those with multiple sexual partners. Common reasons for unsafe abortion included academic commitments and contraceptive failure. Religious affiliation and marital status significantly influenced attitudes towards unsafe abortion.
Conclusions
Given that most unsafe abortions result from unprotected sex and contraceptive failure, integrating comprehensive reproductive health services and counselling within university health facilities is recommended.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
How to Cite
References
Abiola AH, Oke O, Balogun M, Olatona F, Adegbesan-Omilabu M. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of abortion among female students of two public senior secondary schools in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, Lagos State. Vol. 13, Journal of Clinical Sciences. 2016. p. 82.
Cadmus E., OwoAje E. Knowledge about Complications and Practice Abortion among Female Undergraduates in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Ann Ibadan Postgrad Med. 2011;9(1):19–23.
Ghimire N, Nepal M, Shrestha N. Knowledge and Attitude towards Safe Abortion among Undergraduate Students in Jana Bhawana Campus, Lalitpur, Nepal. Int J Heal Sci Res. 2021;11(5):269–77.
World Health Organization. Preventing Unsafe Abortion: Evidence Brief. World Heal Organ [Internet]. 2019;(4):2. Available from: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/329887/WHO-RHR-19.21-eng.pdf
Del Carmen Saeteros Hernández R, Ortiz Zayas E, María Saeteros Hernández A, Cecilia Mejía Paredes M. Dialogue of Knowledge on Unplanned Pregnancies and Abortions in Ecuadorian University Students. ESPOCH Congr Ecuadorian J STEAM [Internet]. 2022 Jun 29;264–85. Available from: https://knepublishing.com/index.php/espoch/article/view/11398
Isah AD, Adewole N, Agida ET, Omonua KI, Wong JYY, Gold EB, et al. Unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion among female undergraduates in University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Am Fam Physician. 2017;08(4):725–36.
Puji H, Bening J, Esty Y. The Impacts of Unplanned Pregnancy on Adolescence: A Literature Review. Nurse Holist Care. 2022;2(2):54–9.
Filipović T, Puharić Z, Puharić D, Gašić M. Attitudes and Knowledge of Students on Sexuality in Three Secondary Schools. Croat Nurs J [Internet]. 2020 Dec 11;4(2):157–64. Available from: http://cnj.hr/plugins/themes/responsive/templates/issue/vol4n2/002.html
Akpanekpo EI, Umoessien ED, Frank EI. Unsafe Abortion and Maternal Mortality in Nigeria : A Review. Pan-African J Med. 2017;1(2).
Aigbiremolen A, Duru C, Abah S, Abejegah C, Asalu O, Oriaifo B. Contraception among tertiary students: Knowledge, use, and behaviour of female undergraduates in Edo State, Nigeria. Glob J Med Res. 2014;14(2).
Kebede MT, Middelthon AL, Hilden PK. Negotiating the social and medical dangers of abortion in Addis Ababa: An exploration of young, unmarried women’s abortion-seeking journeys. Health Care Women Int. 2018;39(2):186–207.
Perera U, Abeysena C. Knowledge and attitudes on contraceptives among undergraduates in the state universities of the Western Province. J Coll Community Physicians Sri Lanka. 2019;25(2):72.
13. Mekonnen BD, Wubneh CA. Knowledge, Attitude, and Associated Factors towards Safe Abortion among Private College Female Students in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Adv Prev Med. 2020;2020:1–8.
Fehintola FO, Ajibola I, Olowookere SA, Akande YR, Komolafe T, Eledah E, et al. Legalisation of Abortion in a Poor‑resource Setting: Nigerian Undergraduates’ Perspectives. Niger Postgr Med J 2023;3040-5. 2018;30(January):40–5.
Imawaigha OJ, Patricia TE. Knowledge of the Use of Contraceptive among College of Health Sciences Students of Niger Delta University, Amassoma Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Int J Sci Healthc Res. 2021;6(2):459–65.
Charan J, Biswas T. How to calculate sample size for different study designs in medical research? Indian J Psychol Med. 2013;35(2):121–6.
Tijani IO, Christopher CA, Pauline EE, Neba FF, Mojeed OM. Burden of Unsafe Abortion Among Young Ladies in Edo State, South-South Nigeria. Orient J Med. 2020;18(1):87–96.
Rahel Y, Deriba A, Asrat M. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Induced Abortion and Associated Factors among Female students in Yebu Secondary School, Jimma zone, South West Ethiopia. Glob J Reprod Med. 2018;5(2):555659.
Abah MG, Bassey EE, Edu EB, Ovie OD. Unsafe abortion among secondary school girls in a local authority in South-South Nigeria. Int J Reprod Contraception, Obstet Gynecol. 2020;9(9):3547.
Streiner DL, Norman GR, Cairney J. Health Measurement Scales: A Practical Guide to Their Development and Use [Internet]. 5th ed. Vol. 1. New York: Oxford University Press; 2015. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/book/24920
Prakriti K, Keshab S, Hom NC. Knowledge and Practice of Abortion among Women in Nepal. E-Journal Heal Soc Sci [Internet]. 2014;3(1):ISSN 2244-0240. Available from: https://sites.google.com/site/asiapacificejournalofhss/
Bamniya A, Verma S. The study of knowledge, attitude and practice about abortion and technology at the tertiary centre in the region of Mewar, Rajasthan, India. Int J Reprod Contracept Obs Gynecol. 2018;7(8):3320-4.
Gess A, Li S, Zhou S, Doak S. Peer Knowledge Sharing Outside the Undergraduate STEM Classroom. New Dir Teach Phys Sci. 2017;12(12):1–20.
Meleko A, Yaekob R. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Induced Abortion and Associated Factors among Female students in Yebu Secondary School , Jimma zone , South West Ethiopia. July. Glob J Reprod Med. 2018;5(2).
Brooks C, Weber N. Liberalization, education, and rights and tolerance attitudes. Soc Sci Res [Internet]. 2022 Jan;101:102620. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0049089X21000971
Alvargonzález D. Knowledge and attitudes about abortion among undergraduate students. Psicothema. 2017;29(4):520–6.
Akande OW, Adenuga AT, Ejidike IC, Olufosoye AA. Unsafe abortion practices and the law in Nigeria: time for change. Sex Reprod Heal Matters [Internet]. 2020 Jan 1;28(1):1758445. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26410397.2020.1758445
Envuladu E, Anke V, Zwanikken P, Zoakah A. Sexual and Reproductive Health Challenges of Adolescent Males and Females in some Communities of Plateau State Nigeria. Int J Psychol Behav Sci. 2017;7:55–60.