UTILIZATION OF LONG-ACTING REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTIVES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG FEMALE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN GAMO AND GOFA ZONE HOSPITALS, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Background: Female health care providers' use of family planning is critical for the community, as it encourages the use of long-acting family planning methods. But there is paucity of study on the utilization of long-acting reversible contraceptives and associated factors among female health professionals. Objective: To assess the utilization of long-acting reversible contraceptives and associated factors among female health care providers in Gamo and Gofa Zone Hospitals in 2021. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 464 female health care providers working at Gamo and Gofa Hospitals, Southern Ethiopia. The data was entered to EPI data version 7.1 and analysis was done by Statistical Package for Social Science version 24. Binary logistic regression analyses with a p-value <0.05 with and a 95% confidence level were used to declare statistical significance. Result: A total of 464 female health care providers were included in the study with a response rate of 100%. The utilization of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) among female health care providers in the study was 28.8%, which is (25.8% implant and 3% IUCD). Earning ?5000 family monthly income [AOR=2.005; 95% CI: 1.236-3.251], desire to have 0-2 number of children [AOR=2.147; 95% CI: 1.249-3.693], good knowledge on long-acting reversible contraceptives [AOR= 2.320; 95% CI: 1.236-3.251], age 25-34 years [AOR=2.407; 95% CI: 1.240-4.672], being ?18 age at first sexual intercourse [AOR=0.401; 95% CI: 0.219-0.734] and being trained on family planning methods [AOR= 3.460; 95% CI: 1.203-4.589] were positively associated with utilization of long acting reversible contraceptive methods. Conclusion: The study revealed that utilization of long-acting reversible contraceptives among female health care providers in Gamo and Gofa zone hospitals was low. Age 25-35 years, earning ?5000 families monthly income, having good knowledge of LARCs , desire to have 0-2 children, being trained on family planning, and starting sexual intercourse ?18 years were significantly associated with the utilization of long-acting reversible contraceptives. Providing training and intensifying information dissemination on LARCs is essential.