MODERN CONTRACEPTIVE USE AMONG WOMEN IN ZAMBIA: A DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe the modern contraceptive use by women of childbearing age in Zambia. METHODS The study was retrospective descriptive observational design. Secondary data of 13,683 women aged 15 - 49 who participated in the ZDHS 2018 were analysed. Data were extracted using a data extraction tool and analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26. Since the ZDHS 2018 used numeric data, the study was quantitative research. The study examined the association between demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and modern contraceptive use using Pearson, Chi-Square and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS In Zambia, the most used type of modern contraception were injectables (52%). Female condom is the most known type of modern contraceptives (55%). The significant factors associated with the use of modern contraceptives were age group 25-29 and 45-49 (AOR=1.41 95% CI=1.05, 1.90) and (AOR=0.41, 95% CI 0.28, 0.62), respectively. Being married and widowed (AOR=2.18, 95% CI 1.75, 2.71), and (AOR=0.50, 95% CI 0.31, 0.78), respectively. The likelihood utilization varied across the gradient of parity, educational attainment, and wealth. Educated and wealthy women were more likely to use modern methods compared to women with no education and in the poor category, respectively. CONCLUSION The study established that factors such as age, marital status, the number of living children (parity), religion, and education level and wealth index remain significant issues in determining modern contraceptive use among childbearing women aged 15 to 49 in Zambia. Therefore, concerted efforts are required to increase use of modern methods of contraception by addressing these determinants. ARTICLE SUMMARY Strengths and limitations of the study The study utilized secondary data from the ZDHS 2018 as a proxy to establish the determinants of contraceptive use among women of childbearing age 15-49 in Zambia and therefore added to the body of knowledge. This study was limited by its cross-sectional nature and hence causal inferences cannot be made. The study relied on self-report measures, which could be affected by social desirability bias or memory bias