LEVEL AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF LONG ACTING REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS AMONG MARRIED WOMEN IN SHONE TOWN ADMINISTRATION, HADIYA ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.

ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: There was low utilization of long acting reversible contraceptive method in developing countries. There are diversity factors associated with use of long acting reversible contraceptive method. Currently many married women prefer to use short acting rather than long acting contraceptive method. OBJECTIVES: To assess level and factors associated with use of long acting reversible contraceptive method among married women in Shone Town, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia, from Jan 26 – Feb 05 /2018. METHODS: Community based cross-sectional study was employed on randomly selected 576 reproductive age married women. All married women who lived in Shone Town for more than 6 months and those fulfill the inclusion criteria were included. Data were collected by using pretested questionnaire and entered to Epidata version 3.0 and exported to SPSS version 20 for further analysis. Frequencies, proportion, and summary statistics were used to describe the study population in relation to relevant variables and presented in tables. Binary Logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify factors associated with long acting reversible contraceptive method. RESULT: The overall long acting reversible contraceptive method use in Shone Town was 164(29.2%). History of LARC use [AOR = 3.58; 95%: CI=2.27-5.64)], discussion with health care provider on LARC in last 6 month [AOR=2.85; 95%CI (1.65-4.90)], high knowledge of LARC method [AOR= 2.86; 95: CI (1.69-4.84)], moderate knowledge of LARC method [AOR=2.68; 95: CI (1.60-4.51)] and positive attitude towards LARC [AOR=2.63; 95%: CI (1.71-4.04)], to be associated with the LARC use. CONCLUSION: The level of long acting reversible contraceptive methods in Shone Town was low. History of LARC use, discussion with health care provider on LARC in last 6-month, knowledge of LARC method and Attitude towards LARC were found to be statistically significant predictors of the outcome variable this study. KEYWORDS: Long acting reversible contraceptive method, level, factors, Shone, Ethiopia. (Ethiopian Journal of Reproductive Health; 2019; 11;2:26-34)