Original Research
A gendered study of young adult contraceptive use at one university in KwaZulu-N atal
Curationis | Vol 29, No 3 | a1088 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v29i3.1088
| © 2006 OA Oyedeji, R Cassimjee
| This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 28 September 2006 | Published: 28 September 2006
Submitted: 28 September 2006 | Published: 28 September 2006
About the author(s)
OA Oyedeji, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaR Cassimjee, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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This study explores contraceptive use among young adult male and female students (aged 18-25) who visit the campus clinic at a university in KwaZulu-Natal. Both a descriptive survey and face to face interviews were used for data collection.
In this study, it is affirmed that gender stratification, societal attitudes, and misconceptions about contraceptive use play an important role in the attitudes of young adults, male and female towards contraception and its use. Evidence of this is the high use of condoms amongst both male and female students’ compared with other available methods. Among female students this was highly attributed to personal convenience and comfort with condom use as an unmarried young woman. It was clear from the data collected that respondents themselves attached some stigma to being associated with the use of contraceptive pills or having to visit the clinic regularly for injections as young unmarried women. Male respondents affirmed the use of the condom, although this was hardly with the view of taking reproductive/contraceptive responsibility, but rather, it was attributed to the function of the condom as a safe sex method that offered protection against sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Also evident from the study was the fact that male respondents felt more comfortable with their sexual functioning than the female respondents. This was easily attributed to the role of societal gender stratification in an individual’s life.
In this study, it is affirmed that gender stratification, societal attitudes, and misconceptions about contraceptive use play an important role in the attitudes of young adults, male and female towards contraception and its use. Evidence of this is the high use of condoms amongst both male and female students’ compared with other available methods. Among female students this was highly attributed to personal convenience and comfort with condom use as an unmarried young woman. It was clear from the data collected that respondents themselves attached some stigma to being associated with the use of contraceptive pills or having to visit the clinic regularly for injections as young unmarried women. Male respondents affirmed the use of the condom, although this was hardly with the view of taking reproductive/contraceptive responsibility, but rather, it was attributed to the function of the condom as a safe sex method that offered protection against sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Also evident from the study was the fact that male respondents felt more comfortable with their sexual functioning than the female respondents. This was easily attributed to the role of societal gender stratification in an individual’s life.
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Crossref Citations
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Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences vol: 3 issue: 66 first page: 14292 year: 2014
doi: 10.14260/jemds/2014/3917