Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Emergency Contraceptive Methods among Female Students of the University of Dschang, Cameroon

Background: Unintended pregnancy is a major public health problem and emergency contraceptives can be an effective way of fighting against them. 75% of unintended pregnancies occur in adolescents. University students are in the sexually active age group and are at higher risks of having an unintended pregnancy and hence probably abortion. The vast majority of unintended pregnancies are due to inconsistent use or non-use of contraception. Emergency contraception (EC) plays a crucial role in preventing unintended pregnancies, as it is the only method that remains effective after unprotected intercourse. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices of female university of Dschang students regarding emergency contraception (EC).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Dschang's (UDs) main campus between March and April 2022. A structured questionnaire was administered to female students aged 18-49 years from the UDs main campus, selected through a three-stage quota sampling method. The collected data were entered into Kobo Toolbox and then exported to Microsoft Excel for cleaning before final analysis in SPSS 25. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, proportions, means, and standard deviations, were used for analysis. Logistic regression was performed to identify associations between key variables. Data were collected on their awareness, attitudes, and use of EC, and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The faculty of sciences (FS) was the most represented faculty in the university and about three quarters (70.9%) of the respondents were undergraduate students. Of the 395 female participants selected, 71.1% of pregnancies were unintended and 24.4% of pregnancies ended in abortion. Overall, 88.1% had heard of emergency contraception but only 34.7% had good knowledge and 78% had a positive attitude. 42.8% of the participants had ever used an emergency contraceptive and the most reported was the emergency pill (98.6%). Good knowledge of emergency contraceptives was associated with positive attitude (p=0.001) and living in family settings (p=0.011). Late onset of sexual intercourse (p=0.019), good knowledge (p<0.001) and positive attitude (p=0.031) were also significantly associated with Emergency contraceptive use. These findings underscore the need for targeted educational programs within universities to bridge EC knowledge gaps and improve utilization rates.

Conclusion: Despite high awareness of emergency contraception, knowledge levels remain low among university students, leading to moderate usage. Positive attitudes suggest a receptive environment for intervention. There is a need for targeted awareness programs within university settings to enhance knowledge and ensure informed decision-making regarding EC. Strengthening health policies, collaboration between academic institutions and healthcare providers and strengthening reproductive health education can contribute to reducing unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions among young women.