Abstract

The study sought to assess the attitudes of healthcare providers in Kiryandongo District Hospital (KDH) towards providing contraceptives for teenagers in Kiryandongo, as one of the areas to combat teenage pregnancies. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 73 healthcare providers in KDH, using self-administered, pretested questionnaires. More than half (57.6%) of the respondents perceived the provision of contraceptives for adolescents as promoting sexual promiscuity, while 32.8% reported otherwise and the rest were undecided. The attitude of 42.5% of them was informed by the Ugandan culture which doesn’t support premarital sex, and 49.3% reported otherwise and rest was undecided. About half (50.7%), reported that unmarried should be asked to abstain from sex rather than being provided with contraceptives, 38.3% reported otherwise and the rest were undecided. 45.2% reported that providers should not provide services for both married and unmarried adolescents,41.1% reported otherwise and the rest were undecided. 17.8% reported that adolescents shouldn’t be given contraceptive counseling before they become sexually active, 71.2% reported otherwise while the rest were undecided. 52.1% reported that adolescents reported that adolescents need parental consent before contraceptive services are offered, 32.8 reported otherwise while the rest were undecided. Many healthcare providers have unfavorable attitudes towards the provision of contraceptives for unmarried adolescents. There is a need for further training of healthcare providers to address this situation