Acen Barbra Kelly, Obonyo Isaac, Ocen Tonny, Arebo Benedict, Auma Anna Grace, Beja Humphrey
Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Lira University, Lira City, Uganda.
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Lira University, Lira City, Uganda.
Womens Health (Lond). 2025 Jan-Dec;21:17455057251321204. doi: 10.1177/17455057251321204.
Emergency contraception (EC) can prevent up to 95% of unplanned pregnancies if used correctly. Despite efforts to enhance its accessibility, cost and cultural stigmas persist as formidable barriers.
This study assessed the knowledge and practices of EC use and determined the associated factors among the female undergraduate students of Northern Uganda.
This was a descriptive, institutional-based cross-sectional study conducted among the female undergraduate students of Lira University in Northern Uganda.
Data were collected from 328 female undergraduates who were surveyed using self-administered questionnaires after obtaining informed consent from them. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and presented as frequencies and percentages, and binary and multiple logistic regressions were used to determine the association between the outcome variable and the independent variables. Results were presented as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals, and associations were considered statistically significant at ⩽ 0.05.
The response proportion was 328/334 (98%). Majority of the participants were 18-23 years old (233/328; 71.0%), had a consistent sexual partner (221/328; 67.4%), and unmarried (206/328; 62.8%). Almost all the participants (315/328; 96%) had heard about EC, where 150/328 (45.7%) learned about EC from health professionals and 135/328 (41.2%) learned about EC from family members and friends. The most well-known brand of EC was Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel), as reported by 130/328(39.6%) participants. Of the study participants, 200/328 (61.0%) were knowledgeable about the correct timing of EC. Regarding practices of EC use, 214/328 (65.2%) used EC, of whom 122/214 (57.0%) acquired EC from the pharmacy, and most of the participants who had used EC used Postinor-2 (92/214; 43.0%). Of those who used EC, 175/214 (81.8%) used it to prevent unplanned pregnancy, and 182/214 (85.0%) participants used it with the correct timing. The factors that were associated with EC use were being a student who was studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 4.27, CI: 1.61, 10.09, ⩽ 0.003) and the absence of a consistent current sexual partner (AOR: 8.63, CI: 4.49, 16.59, ⩽ 0.00).
Participants showed good EC knowledge and usage, but gaps persist. Factors like being a student who was studying at the Faculty of Health Sciences, and lack of a consistent current sexual partner correlated with EC use. Consistent education efforts are needed to address knowledge gaps, focusing on diverse EC forms, reliable information, and affordability.
Not applicable.
紧急避孕（EC）如果正确使用，可预防高达95%的意外怀孕。尽管为提高其可及性做出了努力，但成本和文化耻辱感仍然是巨大的障碍。
本研究评估了乌干达北部女大学生对紧急避孕的知晓情况和使用实践，并确定了相关因素。
这是一项在乌干达北部利拉大学女大学生中开展的基于机构的描述性横断面研究。
从328名女大学生收集数据，在获得她们的知情同意后，使用自填式问卷进行调查。数据使用社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）进行分析，并以频率和百分比呈现，二元和多元逻辑回归用于确定结果变量与自变量之间的关联。结果以比值比及95%置信区间呈现，关联在p≤0.05时被认为具有统计学意义。
应答比例为328/334（98%）。大多数参与者年龄在18 - 23岁（233/328；71.0%），有固定性伴侣（221/328；67.4%），且未婚（206/328；62.8%）。几乎所有参与者（315/328；96%）听说过紧急避孕，其中150/328（45.7%）从卫生专业人员处了解紧急避孕，135/328（41.2%）从家人和朋友处了解。最知名的紧急避孕品牌是复方左炔诺孕酮片（左炔诺孕酮），130/328（39.6%）的参与者报告了该品牌。在研究参与者中，200/328（61.0%）知晓紧急避孕的正确时机。关于紧急避孕的使用实践，214/328（65.2%）使用过紧急避孕，其中122/214（57.0%）从药店获取紧急避孕药物，大多数使用过紧急避孕的参与者使用的是复方左炔诺孕酮片（92/214；43.0%）。在使用紧急避孕的人中，175/214（81.8%）用其预防意外怀孕，182/214（85.0%）的参与者在正确时机使用。与紧急避孕使用相关的因素是在健康科学学院学习的学生（调整后的比值比（AOR）：4.27，置信区间：1.61，10.09，p≤0.003）以及没有固定的当前性伴侣（AOR：8.63，置信区间：4.49，16.59，p≤0.00）。
参与者表现出良好的紧急避孕知识和使用情况，但仍存在差距。在健康科学学院学习的学生以及没有固定的当前性伴侣等因素与紧急避孕使用相关。需要持续开展教育工作以解决知识差距，重点关注多种紧急避孕形式、可靠信息和可承受性。
不适用。
