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The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Contraceptive Utilisation among University Students in Eswatini
Other Title
The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Contraceptive Utilisation among University Students in Eswatini
Type
thesis
Date Issued
2022-06-27
Author(s)
NONJABULISO TFWALA
Advisor
楊哲銘
Subjects
系所名稱：醫務管理學系碩士班
Publisher
醫務管理學系碩士班
Description
口試委員：楊哲銘 (Advisor) YANG, CHE-MING;簡麗年 CHIEN LI-NIEN;周穎政 CHOU, YIING-JENQ
網際網路,開放日期為2022-07-05
網際網路,開放日期為2022-07-05
Abstract
Abstract
Title of Thesis : The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Contraceptive Utilisation among University Students in Eswatini
Author : Nonjabuliso Tfwala
Thesis Advised by: Che-ming Yang, M. D., J. D., PhD.
Background: A new disease emerged from Wuhan, Hubei province in China, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019, effecting a change in humans’ daily lives in many aspects. The COVID-19 pandemic as announced by the WHO and its related control measures has had a serious impact on social life, economic growth, and health. The Kingdom of Eswatini like most governments put a partial lockdown on the 27th of March 2020 and other control measures to control and prevent the spread of the virus. University students’ lives were changed in many aspects; closure of schools, access to services including health services such as Sexual and Reproductive Health, limited transport, curfew and social distancing.
Purpose: The study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on contraceptive utilisation and practices among university students in Eswatini.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted. An online self- administered questionnaire was administered through social media platforms to university students of reproductive age (18 -49 years) in Eswatini. 209 participants were conveniently sampled to participate in the study. Data were analysed using SPSS version 18; descriptive statistics were used to describe the population's sociodemographic characteristics, chi-square and logistic regression were used to determine any relationships between predisposing factors, enabling factors and needs factors and contraception.
Results: 72.9% of the participants were using modern contraceptive methods during the pandemic and only 11.6% reported a change of contraceptive practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. A few (22.1%) reported contraceptive access difficulties due to the pandemic however they were able to use contraceptives. Sexual partner relationships were significantly related to a change of contraception practice. Participants who did not plan to get pregnant were four times more likely (OR=4.10;95% CI: 1.34 to 12.50) to use contraceptives and 77 % less likely (OR=0.23;95% CI: 0.06 to 0.10) to change their contraceptive practice. 50% of those who got pregnant during the pandemic reported non-use while the other half reported having been using a contraceptive at the time of conception.
Discussion: This study has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on contraception among university students in Eswatini. High contraceptive use was observed, and low change of practice among university students of Eswatini. The desire to avoid pandemic pregnancy was a driving force for contraception.
Keywords: Contraceptive utilisation, COVID-19, Pandemic, Impact
Title of Thesis : The Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Contraceptive Utilisation among University Students in Eswatini
Author : Nonjabuliso Tfwala
Thesis Advised by: Che-ming Yang, M. D., J. D., PhD.
Background: A new disease emerged from Wuhan, Hubei province in China, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019, effecting a change in humans’ daily lives in many aspects. The COVID-19 pandemic as announced by the WHO and its related control measures has had a serious impact on social life, economic growth, and health. The Kingdom of Eswatini like most governments put a partial lockdown on the 27th of March 2020 and other control measures to control and prevent the spread of the virus. University students’ lives were changed in many aspects; closure of schools, access to services including health services such as Sexual and Reproductive Health, limited transport, curfew and social distancing.
Purpose: The study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on contraceptive utilisation and practices among university students in Eswatini.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted. An online self- administered questionnaire was administered through social media platforms to university students of reproductive age (18 -49 years) in Eswatini. 209 participants were conveniently sampled to participate in the study. Data were analysed using SPSS version 18; descriptive statistics were used to describe the population's sociodemographic characteristics, chi-square and logistic regression were used to determine any relationships between predisposing factors, enabling factors and needs factors and contraception.
Results: 72.9% of the participants were using modern contraceptive methods during the pandemic and only 11.6% reported a change of contraceptive practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. A few (22.1%) reported contraceptive access difficulties due to the pandemic however they were able to use contraceptives. Sexual partner relationships were significantly related to a change of contraception practice. Participants who did not plan to get pregnant were four times more likely (OR=4.10;95% CI: 1.34 to 12.50) to use contraceptives and 77 % less likely (OR=0.23;95% CI: 0.06 to 0.10) to change their contraceptive practice. 50% of those who got pregnant during the pandemic reported non-use while the other half reported having been using a contraceptive at the time of conception.
Discussion: This study has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on contraception among university students in Eswatini. High contraceptive use was observed, and low change of practice among university students of Eswatini. The desire to avoid pandemic pregnancy was a driving force for contraception.
Keywords: Contraceptive utilisation, COVID-19, Pandemic, Impact