Enhancing Contraceptive Utilization among Females of Reproductive Age: Factors, Challenges, and Strategies at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital

The research aimed to assess the factors influencing the utilization of contraceptives among females of reproductive age seeking health services at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital. Specifically, it sought to establish socio-demographic characteristics, examine health service factors affecting contraceptive utilization, and determine its prevalence. A cross-sectional and descriptive research design employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies was utilized to ensure the gathered information was representative of the population and captured at a single point in time. The study discovered a prevalence of contraceptive use among females of 55.7%, with short-term hormonal methods being the most common at 57.1%. Key findings revealed that females aged 18 to 30 years (57.1%) were significantly more likely to use contraception (p-value = 0.036), and multiparous individuals (98.2%) were more inclined to utilize contraception compared to para-one individuals (50.6%) (p-value = 0.024). Moreover, prior counseling (73.2%) significantly promoted contraceptive usage (p-value = 0.015). In conclusion, despite the observed prevalence, contraceptive utilization remained relatively low. Recommendations include increasing the availability of contraceptive services at lower-level health care centers to enhance accessibility, educating mothers visiting health facilities about contraceptive services, and addressing contraception-related phobias through counseling to encourage uptake among females. Keywords: Contraceptives, Females, Reproductive age, Health services, Health facility.