{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,5]],"date-time":"2026-02-05T02:10:27Z","timestamp":1770257427838,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"AOSIS","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770163200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770163200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Public Health Afr."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background:\u00a0In 2010, the Barekuma Collaborative Community Development Project demonstrated concerning evidence of unmet family planning needs in the Barkese sub-district in the Ashanti region of Ghana. In 2023, Ghana Health Services requested the study be repeated to understand how the prevalence of abortions, family planning perceptions and methods used by women in this region had changed since 2010.Aim:\u00a0The aim of this study is to understand how the region\u2019s attitudes and behaviours associated with contraception have changed since 2010.Setting:\u00a0Survey participants were from 10 communities in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District.Methods:\u00a0One hundred and ninety-eight women participated in a survey with questions adapted from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Once responses were collected, descriptive analysis was performed to determine trends in the use of contraceptives and reasons against the use of family planning.Results:\u00a0Seventy-six point 5 per cent of women had used at least one family planning method. Emergency contraception was the most used method ever. One hundred and forty-seven had reproductive potential. Of these women, 47.6% were currently using a method to prevent pregnancy, most commonly the rhythm (calendar) method. When asked about their latest pregnancy, 65.7% were not trying to get pregnant at that time. Fear of side effects was a common reason for avoiding use of contraceptives.Conclusion:\u00a0Compared to the 2010 study, emergency contraception replaced oral contraceptives as the most ever used method. Fewer women were currently using a method to prevent pregnancy, and unintended pregnancies occurred more frequently. The fear of adverse side effects identified in the 2010 study continues to be a major barrier today.Contribution:\u00a0This study affirms the persistence of unplanned pregnancies and limited knowledge of contraceptive side effects, indicating the need for comprehensive family planning education.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/jphia.v17i1.1285","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T10:53:24Z","timestamp":1770202404000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Family planning in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District: A follow-up on attitudes and practices"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1607-8676","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexa J.","family":"Henrie","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9402-9060","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mariam","family":"Atobiloye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5694-5837","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bryan","family":"Radmall","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-6592-0178","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Quincy N.","family":"Sorensen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-9759-4737","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andy","family":"Yanagihara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1328-9117","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniel","family":"Ansong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-7357-3419","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eric","family":"Sarpong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4252-9434","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lowell S.","family":"Benson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7845-2571","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ty","family":"Dickerson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","unstructured":"Ghana Statistical Service \u2013 GSS, Ghana Health Service \u2013 GHS, ICF International. Ghana demographic and health survey 2014. Rockville, MD: GSS, GHS, and ICF International; 2015."},{"key":"ref1","unstructured":"Staveteig S. Understanding unmet need in Ghana: Results from a follow-up study to the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Rockville, MD: ICF International; 2016."},{"key":"ref2","unstructured":"Daisy Krakowiak-Redd DA, Otupiri E, Tran S, et al. Family planning in a sub-district near Kumasi, Ghana: Side effect fears, unintended pregnancies and misuse of a medication as emergency contraception. Afr J Reprod Health. 2011;15(3):121\u2013132."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Grindlay K, Dako-Gyeke P, Ngo TD, et al. Contraceptive use and unintended pregnancy among young women and men in Accra, Ghana. PLoS One. 2018;13(8):e0201663. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0201663","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0201663"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mutumba M, Wekesa E, Stephenson R. Community influences on modern contraceptive use among young women in low and middle-income countries: A cross-sectional multi-country analysis. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):430. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12889-018-5331-y","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-018-5331-y"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ngome E, Odimegwu C. The social context of adolescent women\u2019s use of modern contraceptives in Zimbabwe: A multilevel analysis. Reprod Health. 2014;11(1):64. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/1742-4755-11-64","DOI":"10.1186\/1742-4755-11-64"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Edietah EE, Njotang PN, Ajong AB, Essi MJ, Yakum MN, Mbu ER. Contraceptive use and determinants of unmet need for family planning; a cross sectional survey in the North West Region, Cameroon. BMC Womens Health. 2018;18(1):171. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12905-018-0660-7","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-018-0660-7"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bongaarts J. Africa\u2019s unique fertility transition. Popul Dev Rev. 2017;43(S1):39\u201358. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1728-4457.2016.00164.x","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1728-4457.2016.00164.x"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Aitken RJ. What is driving the global decline of human fertility? Need for a multidisciplinary approach to the underlying mechanisms. Front Reprod Health. 2024;6:1364352. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/frph.2024.1364352","DOI":"10.3389\/frph.2024.1364352"},{"key":"ref9","unstructured":"World Bank Group. GDP growth (annual %) - Ghana [Internet]. World Bank Group. n.d. [cited 2025 Dec 22]. Available from: https:\/\/data.worldbank.org\/indicator\/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=GH"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Adongo PB, Tabong PT, Azongo TB, et al. A comparative qualitative study of misconceptions associated with contraceptive use in southern and northern ghana. Front Public Health. 2014;2:137. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2014.00137","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2014.00137"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Williamson LM, Parkes A, Wight D, Petticrew M, Hart GJ. Limits to modern contraceptive use among young women in developing countries: A systematic review of qualitative research. Reprod Health. 2009;6(1):3. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/1742-4755-6-3","DOI":"10.1186\/1742-4755-6-3"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Klu D, Odame ML, Asante PY, Dansu CA. Determinants of men\u2019s perspectives on women contraceptive use in Ghana: An analysis of the 2022 Ghana demographic and health survey. Contracept Reprod Med. 2024;9(1):35. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s40834-024-00300-z","DOI":"10.1186\/s40834-024-00300-z"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Henry EG, Agula C, Agyei-Asabere C, et al. Dynamics of emergency contraceptive use in Accra, Ghana. Stud Fam Plann. 2021;52(2):105\u2013123. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/sifp.12154","DOI":"10.1111\/sifp.12154"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rokicki S, Merten S. The context of emergency contraception use among young unmarried women in Accra, Ghana: A qualitative study. Reprod Health. 2018;15(1):212. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12978-018-0656-7","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-018-0656-7"},{"key":"ref15","unstructured":"RT McNeil AA, E Ekwere. Ricinus communis-linn (castor plant), male contraceptives and reproductive health of women. Afr J Reprod Health. 2021;24(4):135\u2013141."},{"key":"ref16","unstructured":"Reproductive WHODoSa, Health\/HaRWSaJHBSoP, Center for Communication Programs (CCP) KS. Family planning: A global handbook for providers (2022 update). Baltimore, MD and Geneva: CCP and WHO, 2022; 486 p."},{"key":"ref17","unstructured":"Ghana Statistical Service. Ghana 2024 Statistical Year Overview. Accra, Ghana: Ghana Statistical Service; 2024."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Keogh SC, Otupiri E, Castillo PW, Li NW, Apenkwa J, Polis CB. Contraceptive and abortion practices of young Ghanaian women aged 15\u201324: Evidence from a nationally representative survey. Reprod Health. 2021;18(1):150. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12978-021-01189-6","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-021-01189-6"}],"container-title":["Journal of Public Health in Africa"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/publichealthinafrica.org\/index.php\/jphia\/article\/viewFile\/1285\/2728","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/publichealthinafrica.org\/index.php\/jphia\/article\/viewFile\/1285\/2729","content-type":"application\/epub+zip","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/publichealthinafrica.org\/index.php\/jphia\/article\/viewFile\/1285\/2730","content-type":"text\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/publichealthinafrica.org\/index.php\/jphia\/article\/viewFile\/1285\/2731","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/publichealthinafrica.org\/index.php\/jphia\/article\/viewFile\/1285\/2731","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T13:01:36Z","timestamp":1770210096000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/publichealthinafrica.org\/index.php\/jphia\/article\/view\/1285"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]]},"references-count":19,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/jphia.v17i1.1285","relation":{},"ISSN":["2038-9930","2038-9922"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2038-9930","type":"electronic"},{"value":"2038-9922","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]]}}}