Perceptions and Barriers to Contraceptive Access among the Adolescents

World-wide health care has improved to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies amongst Adolescents by the use of contraceptive methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted at parklands Secondary school in Chilanga district to identify the perception and barriers that the adolescents had with regards to access of contraceptive methods. A sample size of 136 grade 12 pupils was used. The study revealed that the majority (95.6 %) of the respondents had Knowledge of at least more than one type of contraceptive methods. Access to contraceptives was relatively low among the adolescents, 62.7 % of the respondents had difficulties to access contraceptives and that the distance to the youth friendly services was a barrier. The study also revealed that 81.6 % of the respondents said that attitude of health workers was the main barrier followed by fear of ridicule by society, friends and guardians. The respondents had a negative perception on contraception as the majority of them (86 %) thought that all the types had side effects and were bad for use hence needed to be avoided by all adolescents. It is therefore, recommended that an intervention for improving contraceptive access and utilization among adolescents be pursued and appropriate educational programmes be developed to motivate, promote and increase the access to contraception.