Emergency contraceptive knowledge, utilization and associated factors among secondary school students in Wolkite town, southern Ethiopia, cross sectional study

Background Ethiopia is one of the sub-Saharan African countries with high maternal mortality and morbidity, unsafe abortion and adolescent births. Despite different policy measures taken by the government to improve sexual and reproductive health among adolescents their success is not well studied in Ethiopia. The objective of this study is to explore emergency contraceptive related knowledge, practice and its determinants among secondary school students in southern Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted in selected high schools of Wolkite town, Southern Ethiopia from December to November 2019. Single population proportion formula was used to calculate sample size. A total of 327 female students participated in the study with a total response rate of 97%. Data were collected using a self-administered, structured questionnaire and cleaned, entered and analyzed using Statistical package for social science software version 21. Result 153 (54.8%) of the study participants had good knowledge about emergency contraceptives and only (40.5%) of sexually active participates used emergency contraceptives after unprotected sex. Type of admission and grade level of participants and discussion of reproductive health related issues with parents were significantly associated with good knowledge of Emergency contraceptive. Having partner and grade level of students were among the significant determinants of emergency contraceptive utilization. Conclusion The study showed an acceptable level of emergency contraceptive knowledge but only less than half of sexually active respondents used emergency contraceptives. To prevent unintended pregnancy among secondary school students sexual and reproductive health education should be given to students starting from their enrollment. Furthermore, parents should be encouraged to freely discuss sexual and reproductive health matters with their children.