Understanding adolescent perspectives on fertility control during Covid-19
Abstract
Background: This study investigates adolescents' perspectives on fertility control strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in the urban township of Lusaka District. The background highlights existing challenges, such as high HIV rates and teenage birth rates. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, utilizing in-depth interviews and structured questionnaires. The study involves 20 adolescents and 5 healthcare workers for qualitative data and 130 adolescents aged 13-24 for quantitative data, selected through purposive and convenience sampling. Results: The findings reveal that a majority of participants are sexually active, using contraceptives, with a noteworthy proportion experiencing pregnancies despite contraceptive use. Vaccination status is linked to contraceptive use. Factors such as social support, economic support, spiritual/religious influence, self-efficacy, and assertiveness in sexual situations significantly influence the inclination to abstain from sexual intercourse. Higher education and older age are associated with increased contraceptive use. Some participants report being affected by COVID-19, citing challenges like condom shortages, strict measures, and fear of infection. Healthcare workers note the pandemic's impact on contraceptive accessibility, contributing to a surge in unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among young people. Conclusion: The study concludes by emphasizing the necessity of enhancing contraceptive access and promoting safer sex practices, particularly targeting less-educated individuals, those with limited economic and social support, and younger demographics.All authors who submit their paper for publication will abide by following provisions of the copyright transfer: 1. The copyright of the paper rests with the authors. And they are transferring the copyright to publish the article and used the article for indexing and storing for public use with due reference to published matter in the name of concerned authors. 2. The authors reserve all proprietary rights such as patent rights and the right to use all or part of the article in future works of their own such as lectures, press releases, and reviews of textbooks. 3. In the case of republication of the whole, part, or parts thereof, in periodicals or reprint publications by a third party, written permission must be obtained from the Managing Editor of JPRM. 4. The authors declare that the material being presented by them in this paper is their original work, and does not contain or include material taken from other copyrighted sources. Wherever such material has been included, it has been clearly indented or/and identified by quotation marks and due and proper acknowledgements given by citing the source at appropriate places. 5. The paper, the final version of which they submit, is not substantially the same as any that they had already published elsewhere. 6. They declare that they have not sent the paper or any paper substantially the same as the submitted one, for publication anywhere else. 7. Furthermore, the author may only post his/her version provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication in this journal and a link is inserted wherever published. 8. All contents, Parts, written matters, publications are under copyright act taken by JPRM. 9. Published articles will be available for use by scholars and researchers. 10. IJPRM is not responsible in any type of claim on publication in our Journal. .