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Description
Title: Utilization of modern contraceptives among commercial female sex workers. A case of Lira City
Background: Commercial female sex workers in Uganda face significant reproductive health challenges, including unintended pregnancies and increased incidences of induced abortions as well as sexually transmitted infections due to various constraints in accessing and utilizing modern contraceptives, including dual contraceptive methods. This study addressed the gap in knowledge on effective interventions on modern contraceptive use among not only the commercial female sex workers but the entire women in the general population in Uganda. The study aimed at establishing the utilization of modern contraceptives among the CFSWs by examining the utilization, constraining factors, and coping strategies related to modern contraceptive use among commercial female sex workers.
Methods: This study adopted an explanatory sequential research design. In this case, the researcher started with quantitative followed by qualitative data. The study population consisted of commercial female sex workers in Lira City, Northern Uganda. For the quantitative study, the researcher used a spatial sampling procedure to obtain the participants and used a survey to collect data that was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate descriptive statistics. For the qualitative study, the researcher used a purposive/judgmental sampling procedure to select the respondents, then used focus group discussion and key informant interviews to collect data, and the data was analyzed using thematic data analysis.
Results: The study found that all the commercial female sex workers use modern contraceptives. However, condoms are the most used method of contraception (97%) compared to other methods like injectables (27%), contraceptive pills (23%), and implants (23%), because of its high accessibility level, ability to prevent against sexually transmitted infections, and its user-friendly level. The study findings also show that commercial female sex workers have various sources of information. Although the radio station is the most common source because of its wide availability. Furthermore, the finding also shows that CFSWs access modern contraceptives from different access points. On the other hand, referral hospitals are the dominant access point used, accounting for 23% (58), because most services at the referral hospital are free of charge. In addition, the most influential constraint on the level of utilization of modern contraceptives is the perceived health - related outcomes (66%), because CFSWs consider the health- related outcomes of a given contraceptive method before deciding on it. Lastly, the most common coping strategy CFSWs use to cope with constraints that affect their level of use of modern contraceptives is self-reliance.
Conclusions: Commercial female sex workers use modern contraceptives, though to varying degrees depending on availability, cost, convenience, and skills. There are several sources of information on modern contraceptives that CFSWs use based on the availability and reliability. Commercial female sex workers access modern contraceptives from various access points depending on the availability of the preferred method and the cost. There are multiple factors that influence the use of modern contraceptives. All of them play an equal role. Lastly, there are a number of coping strategies; some of them are precautionary.
