KNOWLEDGE, UTILIZATION AND BARRIERS TO FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN OBUNGA INFORMAL SETTLEMENT, KISUMU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Although there is a high level of awareness about family planning (FP) among Kenyans, the adoption and utilization of FP methods among residents of Obunga is relatively low. In the region of Obunga, the yearly maternal mortality rate stands at 45 per 100,000 live births. Furthermore, a total of 156 adolescent females discontinue their education annually due to pregnancy. The broad objective of the study is to assess knowledge, barriers and utilization of family planning services among women of reproductive age in Obunga slum, Kisumu County, Kenya. The specific objectives are to asses impact of social demographic factor to family planning methods and services; to determine the utilization of family planning by women of reproductive age and to identify the barriers to family planning methods and services by women of reproductive age. The study will adopt across-sectional quantitative study design. The study population will be women of reproductive age between 18 years - 55 years from which a sample size of 352 will be selected calculated using Yaman et al. (1967) formula. Data will be collected using questionnaires with both closed ended and open ended questions. Data will be cleaned, coded then entered in SPSS version 29 for analysis. Data will be analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics then presented in graphs and tables.The findings from this research will provide valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, and stakeholders to develop targeted interventions and strategies to overcome these challenges and enhance family planning services effectiveness and reach.