Female Youth Knowledge and Attitude towards Induced Abortion in Bishoftu Town, Oromia Region
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Date
2009-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Unsafe abortion is a preventab le tragedy and is one of the neglected problems of health care in developing
countries. In February 2009 a cross-sectional study was co nducted in Bi shoftu town Oromia Regional
state to assess the knowledge and attitude of female youth aged 15-24 years towards induced abortion. The
study utilized both quantitative and qualitative (FGDs) methods. A total of 708 female youth were
interviewed llsing pre- tested questionnaire. The data were ed ited, and en tereel into a computer and
analyzed using SI'SS WINDOW version 15. Odds ratios were ca lculated using logi stic regression model
to control conlollnders in the process of examining the effects of socia-econom ic and demographic
predictor var iables on knowledge and att itude of respondents towards induced abortion. Stat istical tests
were done at a level of significance ofp<0.05.
It is fo unclthat al"Ound one - third of sex ually active respo nd ents not use contrace pt ives to protect
themselves I"rol11 unwanted/unp lanned pregnancy and STDs inc lud ing H I V / A id s, whereas 91.9% of
them were aware of contracepti ves. About one-fifth (20%) of the respondents who ever ex perienced
pregnancy reported induced abon ion, of whi ch students, unemployed youth, housemaids and ยท dai ly
laborers took the highest share.
Of the respondents 73% supported induced abonion upon a woman 's demand. Around 87% of the
respondents \Vere aware of health risks of unsafe ;Jbortion but only one-firth of the respondents knew that
abort ion is illegal but allowed under certain circumstances in the country, Eth iopia. The majority (60.6%)
believed that abortion is illegal in the cou ntry.
The FGDs result made clear that most female youth believed that if Et hi opia 's current abort ion law is
liberalized it II ill h<lve a positive effect on maternalmonnlity and morbidity. Since the soc ial and cultural
factors continue to shape the opinion of the people, 1I0t nil the participall ts who reflected the above idea
support induced abort ion on request. Prevalence of" unsafe abortion was found to be higher in the sllldy
area. 67 .7% of the respondents stated unsafe abortion as a major health prob lem and nearly half of the
respondents (48.7%) knew some one suffer or die froln unsafe abonion in the study arca.
There was signiJlcant associat ion between female youth knowledge and att itude of induced abortion and
some shci~ccolloll\ic and demographic va riables. The 1l111 lti varinte resu lt revea led that having positive
attitude 100\ards induced abortion was higher for those [emale youth who were less religiolls, in their
tIVent ies (2Q-24), had seco ndary and above educatiollili level(grade 9-12 and above),had no monthly
income, never married, had positive attitude of contraceptive lise and ever lise of contracepti ves ..
Sim ilarly as the Illultivariate result revealed female youth knowledge of unsa fe abo rti on was higher for
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Keywords
Female Youth Knowledge