Factors Influencing Use of Modern Contraceptives by Young Women in Kenya: Multilevel Analysis of 2014 KDHS Data

Abstract

This study examined factor’s influencing modern contraception among women age 15-24 years in Kenya. This study sought to identify demographic, socio-cultural, socio-economic, and intervening factors influencing contraception among the target population. Furthermore, it also established the effect of these factors at community level. Data for the analysis was drawn from the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey. The sample size for the study was limited to the 6,467 young women not pregnant during the time of survey, and those who reported to have ever had sex. Desriptive Statistics and Multi level Logistic regression were main methods of data analysis. Bivariate analysis involved cross-tabulation, and assessment of statistical significance using the Pearson's Chi-square. In addition, four models were fitted using three-level mixed effect multi-level binary logistic regression. Models were tested for goodness of fit using log-likelihood ratios (LLR) and Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) at a 95% confidence interval (CI). The results from the bivariate analysis demonstrated significant correlations between modern contraceptive use by Kenyan women age 15 to 24 years, and a range of factors. These factors included; educational attainment, status of employment, place of residence, age, marital status, knowledge of modern contraceptive methods, number of children alive, wealth status, mass media exposure through television, radio, and newspapers, as well as the extent of media exposure within their communities. The results of the multilevel regression showed that there were differences in Kenyan young women's uptake of modern contraceptive methods at the county and community levels. These variations were more pronounced at county level than at the community level. The study concludes that use of modern contraceptives among young women in Kenya is still low and recommends that family planning messages should be widely disseminated through the media in order to increase young women's awareness of and knowledge about using contraceptives. This strategy is essential for resolving the variations (at community and county level) observed in use of modern contraceptive methods among young women in Kenya.