Knowledge, perception and use of contraceptives among adolescents attending Queens’ Secondary School in Enugu North, Nigeria

A major contributing factor to unwanted teenage pregnancy in Low Medium Income Countries (LMICs) is poor access to contraceptive services. When the sexual and reproductive health issues of adolescents are not prioritized, it can lead to an increased risk of agonizing transition to parenthood and early pregnancy, which can hinder education opportunities. This study assessed the level of knowledge, perception, and contraception use among adolescents attending Queens’ Secondary School in Enugu North, Nigeria. A descriptive design was utilized among a sample size of 257 adolescent secondary school students selected through. a simple random technique. Data, collected with the aid of a researcher-developed structured questionnaire for 3 weeks in September 2023, was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics of frequency, percentage, and means were used to summarize the data. A mean of 2.5 was used as the criterion for decision, and a chi-square test was used to test the hypothesis at a 5% level of significance. The majority of adolescents had poor knowledge of contraceptives (65.0%). More than half of the students had negative perceptions (51.0%) about contraceptives, and the level of contraceptive use was low (10.6%). There was no significant relationship between knowledge of contraceptives and their use. However, there was a significant relationship between perception and utilization of contraceptives (p < .001). It is recommended that the Government should incorporate sex education and the importance of contraceptives as part of the educational curriculum of secondary school students. There is also a need for improved access to adolescent contraceptive services.