Parents’ perceptions towards adolescents’ use of contraceptives in Chawama township.

Background: Adolescent girls have a high prevalence of unintended pregnancies. Adolescent reproductive health is an area of major public health challenge, in which unintended pregnancies and maternal mortality due to pregnancy are the top causes of death among adolescent girls globally. Despite the availability of contraceptives, their use is low among African adolescents, a situation partly attributable to parental disapproval and societal stigma. The study aimed to assess the perception of parents of adolescents in Chawama township of Lusaka.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed and a sample size of 258 parents was drawn by simple random sampling in Chawama township of Lusaka District, Zambia. Data were collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire that was developed by the researcher. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were computed using Statistical Package for Social Statistics version 27.
Results: The results revealed that a slight majority (51.5%) held negative perceptions of adolescent contraceptive use; a significant proportion (43.5%) of respondents possess an average level of knowledge about contraceptives; a significant majority (67.4%) of respondents hold negative attitudes towards contraceptives; and a slight majority (56.9%) of respondents reported having supportive and open communication with adolescents regarding sexual and reproductive health. Independent predictors of positive perception toward adolescent contraceptive use included average knowledge level [AOR: 4.8; 95% CI: 1.5–10.2; p = 0.006], adequate knowledge level [AOR: 3.9; 95% CI: 1.8–12.4; p = 0.001], positive attitudes [AOR: 3.3; 95% CI: 1.7–6.4; p <
0.001], and supportive sexual and reproductive health communications [AOR: 4.4; 95% CI: 2.3–8.4; p < 0.001].
Conclusion. This study reveals that 51.5% of parents in Chawama Township, Lusaka, Zambia, hold negative perceptions of adolescents' contraceptive use. Factors
associated with positive perceptions include adequate knowledge, positive attitudes, and supportive communication regarding contraceptives. Emphasizing education and effective communication is vital for shaping favourable views. The findings suggest that interventions should enhance parental knowledge and attitudes to improve adolescent access to contraceptives, fostering a more supportive environment for sexual and reproductive health.