Decomposition and Trend of Unmet Need for Contraception among Young Women of Reproductive Age in Nigeria, 2003-2018

Simeon Olaoye, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. Ibadan, Nigeria
Stephen Adebowale, University of Ibadan
ADEOLU ATOYEBI, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. Ibadan, Nigeria

Countries in the sub-Saharan Africa region including Nigeria are characterized by a high prevalence of unmet need for contraception. Young women who engage in unprotected sex are more likely to have early, unplanned, and frequent pregnancies resulting in unwanted children. This study aimed to examine the trend of unmet need for contraception and decompose factors contributing to the high prevalence of unmet need for contraception among young women in Nigeria. This study utilized cross-sectional design, analyzing nationally representative secondary data from the last four consecutive rounds (2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018) of the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). The samples were randomly selected using a two-stage cluster sampling design. The outcome variable was unmet need for contraception. Study participants were young women aged 15-24 years. Data analysis was conducted using Multivariate Decomposition Analysis at 5% level of significance. The prevalence of unmet need for contraception was 15.4% (2003), 18.6% (2008), 14.8% (2013), and 18.4% (2018). This study concludes that the number of living children, level of education, area of residence, and family planning media exposure are the main drivers of unmet need for contraception and should be considered while designing strategies for reducing unmet need for contraception in Nigeria.

Keywords: Decomposition analysis, Family Planning and Contraception, Fertility, Children, Adolescents, and Youth

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