Original R
esearch Article
Knowledge, Attitude and Provision of Emergency
Contraception Among Health Professionals in Borno State
Northern Nigeria
AD Geidam1,
AA
Kullima2
and
G
U Sadiq
1Department
of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Maiduguri
Teaching Hospital,
PMB 1414, Maiduguri,
Nigeria.
2Department
of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Federal Medical Centre,
Nguru, Yobe State, Nigeria.
3Department
of EthnoPharmacy and Drug Development, University of
Maiduguri, PMB 1069, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
.
*For Correspondence:
Email:
adogeidam@yahoo.com
Received:
06-Nov-09 Revised:
29-Nov-09 Accepted:
30-Nov-09
International Journal of Health Research,
December
2009; 2(4):
339-346
Abstract
Purpose:
To determine the knowledge, attitudes and provision of
emergency contraception among health professional’s
(physicians, pharmacist and nurse/midwives) in Borno
State in northern Nigeria.
Methods:
A validated self administered questionnaires issued to
randomly selected physicians, pharmacist and
nurses/midwives. The questionnaire enquired about
knowledge, attitudes and provision of emergency
contraception.
Results:
Overall awareness about emergency contraception is 80.6%
among the health professionals, but was lower among
nurse/midwives (69.8%). The awareness of the various
methods of emergency contraceptives was poor, with only
97 (49.5%) of the respondent aware of Estrogen as a
method and only 10(5.1%) knows that Danazol can be use
for emergency contraception. In 20 (10.2%) of the cases
the respondent were not sure of the correct timing of
EC. Only 71 (36.2%) of the respondents had ever provided
EC before. Among the professional groups, physicians
were more likely to approve the use while pharmacists
were more likely to have provided EC before.
Conclusion:
Although the awareness of emergency contraception among
health care providers in Borno State is high, its
provision and the knowledge of the various methods are
poor. There is the need of
re-educating our health professionals on emergency
contraception.
Keywords:
Emergency contraception, Health professionals,
Knowledge, Attitudes.
