Factors Affecting Utilization of Family Planning Services By Hiv Positive Women Attending Hiv Clinics At Taso Gulu, Taso Masaka, Taso Mulago, and Taso Tororo

Abstract

Background

According to a study on access to FP services in low and middle income countries (LMIC), the unmet need for FP ranges between 20 % and 58 % (Wulifan, et al., 2016). We examined unmet need for FP among HIV+ women aged 15-49 years and assessed the factors that hinder or favor utilization of FP services in TASO.

Methodology

This was an analytical, cross-sectional study at TASO Gulu, TASO Masaka, TASO Mulago and TASO Tororo carried out from December 2017 to March 2018. The study outcome was unmet need of FP defined as women who are fecund and sexually active but are not using any method of contraception. We used a logistic regression analysis to assess for factors that hinder or favor utilization of FP services in TASO. Data was analyzed using Stata version 12 statistical software to compute adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and p-values.

Results

A total of 858 female study participants were interviewed, 90(11%) aged 15-24yrs, 461(55%) aged 25-34 years , and 35 years and above 287(34%). Results revealed that 23% participants (21 of 92) reported unintended pregnancies. The prevalence of unmet need for FP among the HIV+ women attending HIV Clinics in TASO was 44.4%. The proportion of fecund HIV+ women in sexual relationships who desire to terminate or postpone child bearing was 22.8%. Factors that significantly favor or hinder utilization of FP services were availibility of FP materials (AOR = 8.97, p= 0.001); and failure to understand a wide range of FP methods significantly hinders utilization of FP services (AOR = 0.15, p= 0.014).

Conclusions

The study found that HIV+ women who had access to FP materials had higher odds of FP utilization. Failure to understand a wide range of FP methods hinders FP utilization, suggesting the need to sensitize HIV+ women on all the available options of FP.

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