ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to assess the level of awareness of
contraceptives among female undergraduate sandwich students at University of
Lagos. Also, the descriptive survey research method was used in the assessment
of the respondents’ opinions with the use of the questionnaire and the sampling
technique. The population of this study comprised of 2400 sandwich students in
University of Lagos. The variables in the study include attitude of
undergraduate sandwich students and awareness towards family planning at
University of Lagos. In this study, relevant and extensive literatures were
reviewed under relevant sub-heading such as method of contraceptives, concept
and nature of contraceptives and family planning, origin and evolution of
family planning, the benefits of contraceptive, causes of increase in
population growth and rise in fertility rates and summary of the review. This
study was delimited to Faculty of Education, University of Lagos. A pilot study
was carried out to prove the reliability of the instrument while content and
face validity of the instrument were carried out. The questionnaire was used in
this study in order to collect vital information from the selected respondents.
The data used in this study were collected through the administration of
questionnaire to the selected respondents and collection of same for data
analysis. The hypotheses formulated in this study were tested with the use of
the independent t-test and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient
Statistical tools at 0.05 level of significance while the bio-data and the data
collected from the students were analysed with the simple percentage frequency
counts. A total of 150 (one hundred and fifty) sandwich students in the Faculty
of Education were used as participants in this study, thereby representing the
entire population of the undergraduate sandwich students at the Faculty of
Education, University of Lagos, Akoka. Equally, 3 (three) null hypotheses were
formulated and tested with the use of the Pearson Product Moment Correlational
Coefficient Statistical tool at 0.05 level of significance. While the bio-data
and the research questions were analysed with the use of the simple percentage
frequency counts. At the end of the analyses, the following findings were revealed:
there is a significant relationship between undergraduate sandwich students’
perception and the use of contraceptives as family planning at University of
Lagos, there is a significant relationship between the attitudes of
undergraduate sandwich towards use of contraceptives and avoidance of
pregnancies, and that a significant gender difference exists in the use of
contraceptives amongst undergraduate sandwich students at the University of
Lagos. Based on the findings of this study, the study recommended among others
that sandwich students should endeavour to abstain from sexual activities, but
if they cannot abstain from sexual activities before marriage, they should
learn how to use the contraceptives in order to avoid the unwanted pregnancies
that can occur.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1
Background
to the Study 1
1.2
Theoretical
Framework 3
1.3
Statement
of the Problem 3
1.4
Purpose
of the Study 4
1.5
Research
Questions 4
1.6
Research
Hypotheses 5
1.7
Significance
of the Study 5
1.8
Limitation
of the Study 6
1.9
Delimitation
of the Study 6
1.10
Definition
of Terms 7
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 9
2.0 Introduction 9
2.1 Concept
and Nature of Contraceptives and Family Planning 9
2.2 Method
of Contraceptives 15
2.3 Origin
and Evolution of Family Planning 23
2.4 Barriers
to Contraceptives 26
2.5 Causes
of Increase in Population Growth and Rise in Fertility Rates 27
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 29
3.1 Introduction 29
3.2 Research Method 29
3.1
Population 30
3.2
Sample and Sampling Technique 30
3.3
Research Instrument 30
3.4
Validity of the Instrument 30
3.5
Reliability of the Instrument 30
3.6
Procedure for Data Collection 31
3.7
Data Analysis Procedure 31
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 32
4.1 Descriptive Data 32
4.2 Description of Research Questions 36
4.3 Testing of Hypotheses 43
4.4 Discussion of Findings 44
4.5 Summary of Findings 46
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS 47
5.1 Summary of Study 47
5.2 Conclusions 48
5.3 Recommendations 49
References 50
Appendix 56
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
Education can be described as a dynamic activity which
involves an orderly, deliberate and sustained effort to develop knowledge and
skills (Olusakin, 1998). As Awoniyi (1999) puts it, formal education is a
process by which the human mind develops through learning at school in stages
from pre-primary through primary, secondary to tertiary (university)
institution. The present socio-economic situation in Nigeria has made it
obvious that the women must be given sound, formal education as their male
counterparts are given.
According to Adiele (2000), the education of the girl-child was not a
common phenomenon in the traditional Nigerian society before independence. In
fact, her birth would not attract so much celebration as that of the
male-child, and depending on the number of female children the mother had given
birth to before her, the birth of an additional girl-child could cause her
mother her marriage. This is still a major problem in some homes even among
educated men.
Therefore, incessant child-bearing places a woman in a very weak position
physically, economically and psychologically, yet barrenness is viewed as a
curse in the Nigerian society due to high infantile mortality, the capacity to
breed was much valued but advances in the field of medicine have greatly
increased the survival rate among both infants and adults. According to
Onyeanwu (2001), the incessant child-bearing is therefore, no longer necessary,
instead, it poses great danger to the health of the mother and also increased
family size that cannot be supported with the family resources, especially now
that the Nigerian economy has nose-dived and the resultant effect of
unemployment among men in the society. Therefore, to improve the living
condition of Nigerian families, the life of the women who are the cornerstone
of every household should be improved and the regulation of the size of the
nuclear family, through family planning, cannot be overemphasied (Lai, 1990).
There has been a lot of discrimination against the female gender. In fact
people just see them as breeding machines, in spite of the availability of family
planning. The dissemination of appropriate and relevant information would lead
to the acquisition of knowledge skills and women empowerment. This can help in
breaking the intractable poverty cycle which many Nigerian families have come
to be associated with due to ignorance of family planning devices and the
attitude of many women towards the application of such devices.
According to Anyanwu (2002) there are many methods of contraceptives in
the society. These include the condom; the withdrawal method; the intrauterine
contraceptives device, the diaphragm, the spermicides, the douching methods
etc. Among all the methods of preventing unwanted pregnancies by the youths in
schools, the condom and the pills are the most commonly needed or are used.
Apart from its side effects, the variety of pills are used by women in many
society today. This is because of its relative effectiveness. Also, the 90% of
women, especially girls in various school at the tertiary level, use condoms as
preventives methods in pregnancies. This is because, the condom is easy to use
and has virtually no side effect after use. Therefore students both male and
female prefer to use them, apart from deriving sexual pleasures they perceived
prevention of pregnancy gives them assurance (Uzodike, 2003; Alani, 2002 and
Adedoyin, 2004).
1.2
Theoretical Framework
Family planning refers to the services offered to educate men and women
about family life and the encouragement given to them to achieve their wishes
with regards to the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, securing desired
pregnancies, spacing of pregnancies and limiting the number of children in the
interest of overall family and the family socio-economic status (Enudi, 1986).
According to Amaechi (2003), the Federal Government released a National
Policy on Population for development, unity, progress and self-reliance in 1988
included as part of the policy statement was the promotion of awareness among
citizens of this country of population problems and the effect of rapid
population growth on development and also the provision to every one of the
necessary information and education on the value of reasonable family size, the
individual family and the future of the nation on achieving self-reliance.
Ajuzie (2000) theorizes that the value of family planning on the
stability and the well being of the family need to be taught and the message
should reach every woman since we practice the patriarchal family system
because some want to oppose the idea of family planning and since men are considered
as the head of the family, the decisions regarding the family size and child
spacing cannot be taken by the woman alone. The government should not only
design but take conscious effort to see to the implementation of enlightenment
and educative programme regarding family methods planning, some of which are:
Vaginal douche, Diaphragm with cream, Cream or jelly alone, Use of condom,
Calendar safe period calculation, Intra-urine device (I.U.D.), use of pills,
Vasectomu, and Bilateral tubal ligation (BTL).
Each of these methods according to Anyanwu (2004) has its own advantages
and disadvantages which should be clearly understood before a choice is made.
1.3
Statement of the Problem
There has been a lot of discrimination against the female
gender. In fact, people just see them as breeding machines inspite of the
availability of family planning.
The dissemination of appropriate and relevant information on family
planning would lead to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and women
empowerment. This can help to break the intractable poverty cycles that many
Nigerian families have come to be associated with due to the ignorance of
family planning devices and the attitude of many women towards the application
of such devices.
According to Halsall (1977) if women’s health and status remain poor, if
their access to land and other facilities continues to be limited and if they
continue to be held down by lack of information concerning family, unwanted
pregnancies and sexual diseases, the societal development would be retarded.
Also, the problem that is involved in the negligence of family planning cannot
be overemphasized. For example, without family planning there will be
population explosion which could bring about shortage of food and other
necessary amenities in the country. According to Uzomah (2004), women who do
not expose themselves nformation, especially on family planning methods have
died in their bid to give birth to more children.
This study therefore, sets out to examine the influence of attitudes of
sandwich students towards family planning methods at University of Lagos.
1.4
Purpose of the Study
The purpose
of this study is to assess the level of awareness of contraceptives among
female undergraduate sandwich students at University of Lagos.
1.5
Research Questions
The study provided answers to the following research
questions:
1.
Do
undergraduate sandwich students take contraceptives or not?
2.
Will
there be any relationship between the use of contraceptives and avoidance of
pregnancies among undergraduate sandwich students?
3.
To
what extent can the pregnancy rate among undergraduate sandwich students of
University of Lagos be examined?
4.
Was
there high pregnancy rate among sandwich students of University of Lagos due to
non-use of contraceptives?
5.
How
can the different types of contraceptives be identified?
6.
Is
there gender difference in the use of contraceptives among undergraduate sandwich
students at the University of Lagos?
1.6
Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated and tested in this
study:
1.
There
will be no relationship between sandwich undergraduate students attitude and
the use of contraceptives or family planning method.
2.
There
will be no significant relationship between sandwich undergraduate students
attitudes and their use of contraceptives.
3.
There
will be no significant gender difference in the use of contraceptives among undergraduate
sandwich students.
1.7
Significance of the Study
The study will be beneficial to the following individuals:
1.
Students
who are in the tertiary institutions, especially at the University of Lagos,
would find this study very helpful because the findings and recommendations
would be help them identify some of the important contraceptives that are
available for use and their effectiveness in preventing pregnancy and contracting
of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, syphilis etc. This study would enable students to
know the most save and effective contraceptives to take in order to avoid after
effects. This study will enable students to not only identify some available
contraceptives, but know their strengths and weaknesses.
2.
Teachers
may equally benefit from the recommendations and findings of this study because
it will enable them to identify some contraceptives students use; their
effectiveness or otherwise even their after effects to students health and
vitality. Teachers (Lecturers) would find this study quite revealing as its
finding would go a long way in helping the perception of their students towards
the use of some contraceptives and their effects on them.
3.
Parent
may find this study very useful as its findings and recommendations would help
them to identify some important contraceptives needed by their children at
school, especially the undergraduate students at the University of Lagos. This
study will help parents know the most effective contraceptives and their
usefulness or otherwise to their children at school. With the findings and
recommendations of this study, parents would be able to identify some of the
contraceptives that may be useful to them also, in their family planning.
4.
The
Federal Ministry of Health may see this study as a great asset, as its findings
and recommendations would enable the ministry to be abreast with the challenges
facing those who use contraceptives that are not effective especially the fake
ones and this knowledge will assist the ministry to tackle the problem of fake
and adulterated drugs in Nigeria.
5.
The
society may also benefit from this study because the content of this study will
help people in the larger society to appreciate the roles contraceptives play
in birth and population control. This study will be a reference point to both
students, new researchers, old researchers and the general public.
1.8
Limitation of the Study
The major challenge to this study was access to the sandwich
students. This was a problem because majority of them are workers and hardly
have time to respond to the questionnaires. However, this was overcome by given
them the questionnaire to take home.
1.9
Delimitation of the Study
This study was delimited to the following:
1. Sandwich
students of University of Lagos.
2. Male and female
3. Stratified
random sampling
4. Sample size of
150
5. Descriptive
survey method
6. Simple
percentage and frequency count; and inferential statistics of Pearson Product
Moment Correlation and t-test at 0.05 level of significance.
1.10
Definition of Terms
Operational terms were defined in this study in the following
ways:
1.
Fertility Rate: This is the summation of all the
fertility obtained from the age specific rate for each year of child bearing
span hence it gives the number of children per thousand of women without any
mortality.
2.
Contraceptive Prevalence: This gives the proportion in
percentage of couple (married or sexually active women) of reproductive ages
using contraceptive method amongst a population of interest at a time.
3.
Family Planning: This refers to the whole range of
problems associated with reproduction regulation spacing and limitation, as
well as sexual education.
4.
Contraceptive Users: This refers to those who do not
abandon the use of contraceptive in order to regulate child birth or to space
their child birth rate. It is the acceptance of birth regulation through the
application of contraceptive.
5.
Family Planning Programme: This shows the amount of change in
fertility that can be attributed to the policies. It is the measured by finding
the difference between fertility level in a given year and the level that would
have prevailed in the same period without family planning.
6.
Pill: This is a tablet composed of
synthetic hormones, which help to prevent pregnancy even when ovaries are
released.
7.
Attitudes: This refers to the entire behaviour
of an individual in relation to the way and manner in which he/she sees or does
things.
8.
Sandwich Students: These are students who registered
for part-time. They are different from the full-time students. Their
performance is organized by the Faculty of Education.
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