Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emergency Contraceptives (EC) can play an important role in public health by preventing unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion, thereby reducing associated health risks and social and economic problems. In Ethiopia, early initiation of sex coupled with inadequate awareness and lower utilization of EC highlights the need for studies to assess knowledge and utilization of EC and its determinant factors. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the knowledge and utilization of emergency contraception and identify the factors that influence its use among young females in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. DESIGN AND METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among selected young women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from July to September 2021. Participants were selected using convenience sampling. A single proportion formula was used to calculate the sample size. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used, and quantitative data was collected using Google Forms. Collected data was cleaned, entered, and analyzed using SPSS 26. RESULTS: The response rate of the study was 87.7%. Almost all the participants were aware of EC (98.8%), but only 57.7% of them had good knowledge. Of the 261 participants who had sex, 240(91.2%) used EC. Factors associated with good knowledge about EC included attending university or college (AOR: 1.070, CI: 0.392-2.924, P-value = 0.002) and using EC every time they had sexual intercourse (AOR: 0.171, CI: 0.062-0.474, P-value = 0.001). Additionally, females with good knowledge about EC were 68.1% more likely to use EC compared to those with poor knowledge (AOR: 0.319, CI: 0.114-0.888, P-value: 0.029). Factors positively associated with EC utilization included having good knowledge of EC (AOR: 0.319, CI: 0.114-0.888, P-value: 0.029) and preferring to obtain EC services from pharmacy professionals (AOR: 0.246, CI: 0.072-0.847, P-value = 0.026). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need for more information, education, and communication efforts to improve awareness and use of EC.