Peeping into the Pot of Contraceptives Utilization among Adolescents within a Conservative Culture Zambia

Abstract

In a Christian value-loaded country like Zambia, sexuality education of adolescents is suppressed especially among girls and boys in schools. Given the globalization influence pervading every sector today, this study explored the status of contraceptives utilization among the Adolescents in secondary schools in Chongwe, Zambia. The study rids on a case study to generate evidence on the contraceptives utilization among Adolescents within secondary schools in Chongwe district. The objectives of this study were to explore the use of contraceptives by the school going adolescents in secondary schools, to describe the types of contraceptives used by the school going adolescents in secondary schools, to describe negative and positive effect of contraceptives use by adolescents in secondary schools. Data was generated from a total sample of 60 participants. The main findings of this research were that most of the girls had knowledge about contraceptives and were actually using them mostly to prevent unwanted pregnancies and not having monthly periods. Nearly all the girls were in favour of injectable contraceptives as compared to other ones. Furthermore, girls indicated that contraceptives had both positive and negative side effects such as good flow of monthly periods, delayed pregnancies on positive part as well as abnormal weight gain, blood clots, reduced libido and headaches as negative effects. Therefore, this study concludes that contraceptives have contributed to girls finishing their Secondary education and there is drastic reduction in pregnancies among school girls. Thus, among others, it is recommended that Schools mentor girls on how to concentrate on education to realise their full potential and expose a lot of role models so that school going girls do not put sexual relations as priority.