Abstract:
Background: In both developed and developing nations, adolescent pregnancy is a serious
public health issue that has a negative impact on mother and child health outcomes including
interruption of education, unemployment, gender inequality, and the poverty experienced by
adolescent mothers, their families, and communities. However, there has been no research
done on the smart start of contraception and related factors among married youth in
Ethiopia.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence of smart start of contraception and associated factors
among married youth in rural kebeles of Goro woreda of south west Shewa zone, Ethiopia.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed from August 1–
September 30, 2022. The sample size of the study was 422 married youth women. Census was
done to get sample frame and systematic random sampling method was used to select the
study participants.Data was collected by using interviewer-administered structured
questionnaires.The collected data was entered into Epidata version 4.6 and exported to SPSS
version 23 for further analysis..Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was
done to identify variables associated with the smart start of contraception, and a p-value of
less than 0.05 is considered significant.The result was presented with tables, figures, and text.
Results: The overall smart start contraception user was 16.3 % (95%CI 12.8, 20.3).
Exposure to contraceptive information [AOR=4.36;95%CI:(2.14,8.86);p=<0.001], favorable
attitude to wards contraception method [AOR=3.54;95%CI:(1.72, 7.31);p=0.001 ], Intention
to use contraception[AOR=4.16;95%CI:(1.96,8.84);p=<0.001],Perceived social approval
[AOR=3.48;95%CI(1.65,7.35);p=0.001],community level beliefs in contraception myths
[AOR=3.74; 95% CI (1.82,7.66);p=<0.001],counseling about FP[AOR=5.19;95%CI
:(2.43,11.08);p=<0.001] were identified as statistically significant with smart start
contraception.
Conclusions and recommendation: The prevalence of smart start contraception was low.All
health care worker should have given counseling on the use of smart start contraception
holistically to increase the awareness on contraceptive myths and misconception and change
the attitude towards contraception of the young married couples and the comminty at all so
that the smart start contraception utilization will be enhanced.
