Womens Health (Lond). 2025 Jan-Dec;21:17455057251358011. doi: 10.1177/17455057251358011. Epub 2025 Aug 11.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Severe mental illness influences uptake of contraceptive services through a number of factors in developing countries including Uganda. The paucity of data on contraceptive use among females with severe mental illness in sub-Saharan Africa including Uganda impairs the provision of guidelines for proper interventions.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the magnitude and factors associated with contraceptive use among females with severe mental illness attending the mental health outpatient’s clinic at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.
DESIGN: This study used a cross-sectional design.
METHODS: This study purposely screened 377 women with severe mental illness who attended Gulu hospital between March and June 2023 for contraceptive use using a semi-structured questionnaire with questions specific to the different contraceptive methods used such as condom use, injectable use, and others. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed to determine prevalence and factors associated with contraceptive use.
RESULTS: Out of a total of 377 participants, 331 of them ever used at least one contraceptive method after being diagnosed with severe mental illness, that is the prevalence of 87.7%. Not attending school (Adjusted Odds ratio (AOR): 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01-0.46; p = 0.005), being treated for bipolar affective disorder (AOR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.54; p = 0.017), taking both antipsychotic and mood stabilizer (AOR: 13.84; 95% CI: 2.42-234.25; p = 0.007), ever being pregnant after being diagnosed with severe mental illness (AOR: 19.21; 95% CI: 3.40-108.34; p = 0.001), desire to have children (AOR: 9.91; 95% CI: 2.28-43.12; p = 0.002), and being aware of contraceptive use (AOR: 0.01; 95% CI: 0.01-0.29; p = 0.006) were more likely to use contraception.
CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that nearly nine-tenth women with severe mental illness use contraceptives which is associated with not attending school, being treated for bipolar affective disorder, taking both antipsychotic and mood stabilizer, ever being pregnant, desire to have children, and being aware of contraceptive use. The contraceptive facilities should be included directly in the mental health delivery for easy access, hence maximum use by women with severe mental illness.
PMID:40785454 | DOI:10.1177/17455057251358011
