Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Emergency Contraceptive Among Female Preparatory School Students in Awsi Resu Zone(01), Afar, Ethiopia, 2023

BACKGROUND: Students in preparatory schools are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, which may lead to a rise in untended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and STIs. Many of these unplanned pregnancies can be avoided using emergency contraception. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practice of emergency contraceptives. OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of emergency contraception among preparatory school students of Awsiresu zone (01) in Afar, Ethiopia. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in selected preparatory schools in Awsi Resu Zone, Afar, Ethiopia, from October 20 to November 8, 2023, among 419 female students who were selected using the systematic random sampling method. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed and entered into the Kobo toolbox. Data were collected by five female public health officer students using interview-administered methods. A one-day discussion was held among group members and data collectors on how to obtain consent and collect complete data. The collected data was exported to SPSS window version 26 for analysis, and a descriptive analysis was performed for all variables. RESULT: Three hundred ten (74.0%) of the students said that they have heard about emergency contraceptives. 57.7% of the students had a positive attitude towards emergency contraceptives. One hundred (32.3%) of the students said that EC is recommended as a regular contraceptive method, and another one hundred forty-one (50.2%) students said that EC can prevent STIs. Among the ten respondents who had used emergency contraceptives, six (60%) used regular contraceptives. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The study findings showed that most of the respondents who had ever heard of emergency contraception had good knowledge and a positive attitude, despite some respondents having misunderstandings about emergency contraceptives. Therefore, the Afar Health Bureau should distribute educational materials such as brochures, posters, and flyers that teach about emergency contraception and arrange programs on a regular basis to provide accurate information concerning the utilization of emergency contraception.