Abstract

This study aimed to explore the factors influencing the utilization of family planning
services among women of reproductive age at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital in
Kabarole, Uganda. Employing a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based design and a
simple random sampling technique, 174 women in the reproductive age group were
included in the study. Self-administered questionnaires were utilized for data collection,
which was then coded, entered, and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20. The results
were presented in frequency and percentage charts and tables, accompanied by Pvalues,
odds ratios, and their respective confidence intervals where relevant. The
findings revealed that 44.91% of participants at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital in
Western Uganda used contraceptives. Among them, 66.7% discussed contraceptives with
their partners, while 51.1% opted for a specific contraceptive method during their last
sexual encounter prior to the study. Interestingly, 35.1% considered condoms to be the
most effective form of contraception, followed by implanon and oral pills at 14.9% and
14.4%, respectively. Safe days/withdrawal and injectable contraceptives were perceived
as the least effective at 10.9% each. Accessibility and availability were cited as primary
reasons for contraceptive choice by 21.8% of respondents, followed by safety with fewer
side effects (16.1%), ease of use (6.3%), and affordability (5.2%). Household size, with the
majority having 1-5 members (36.8%), and the number of children under five in the
family (45.4% with 1-5 children) were notable demographic factors influencing family
planning choices. However, the study highlighted a low level of family planning
utilization (44.9%) among women at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital,
predominantly favoring male condoms (40.7%). This utilization was significantly
affected by socio-demographic factors such as marital status, place of residence,
occupation, and income levels. Furthermore, the type, duration, frequency, availability,
accessibility, affordability, and perceived side effects or effectiveness of contraceptives
significantly influenced the likelihood of family planning utilization