CONTRACEPTIVE INFORMATION AND SECURITY: THE NEED FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION AMONG RURAL WOMEN IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Despite the advances in medical technology that facilitate improvement in health services and family planning, the developing countries including Nigeria are still experiencing rapid population growth largely due to high birth rate. Promotion of family planning services in these countries aimed to ensure contraceptive information and security (the opportunity to choose, obtain and use) which will help to address the problem of high birth rates associated with poverty and hunger, maternal deaths, infant and child mortality, unintended pregnancies, social exclusion as well as tackling the challenges of reproductive health. This paper examined the level and sources of contraceptive information and security among rural women in Kano state, Nigeria. The paper adopted a quantitative methodology, which involved questionnaire application to 400 married women by means of purposive sampling. The study used frequency distribution tables to present and analyze their responses. The study revealed that the major sources of contraceptive information among the rural women are friends and husbands (mostly for traditional methods). Others are clinics, school and radio (for modern methods). Most of the women using the services have no choices and end up obtaining non-qualitative services largely due to non-availability of contraceptives all the time and limited access to media and digital services that provide the right opportunity. The paper suggested that the use of media especially radio and television should be emphasized to sensitize people on the use and effectiveness of modern methods of family planning. Provision of mobile network across the villages will further spread the information and afford them to receive messages and packages as well as use internet to be better informed about family planning services. Digital inclusion will also help the women to seek clarification, make informed decisions, locate where to obtain the services and use it according to specifications.