ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to assess the level of awareness of contraceptives among female undergraduate sandwich students at University of Lagos. Also, the descriptive survey research method was used in the assessment of the respondents’ opinions with the use of the questionnaire and the sampling technique. The population of this study comprised of 2400 sandwich students in University of Lagos. The variables in the study include attitude of undergraduate sandwich students and awareness towards family planning at University of Lagos. In this study, relevant and extensive literatures were reviewed under relevant sub-heading such as method of contraceptives, concept and nature of contraceptives and family planning, origin and evolution of family planning, the benefits of contraceptive, causes of increase in population growth and rise in fertility rates and summary of the review. This study was delimited to Faculty of Education, University of Lagos. A pilot study was carried out to prove the reliability of the instrument while content and face validity of the instrument were carried out. The questionnaire was used in this study in order to collect vital information from the selected respondents. The data used in this study were collected through the administration of questionnaire to the selected respondents and collection of same for data analysis. The hypotheses formulated in this study were tested with the use of the independent t-test and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Statistical tools at 0.05 level of significance while the bio-data and the data collected from the students were analysed with the simple percentage frequency counts. A total of 150 (one hundred and fifty) sandwich students in the Faculty of Education were used as participants in this study, thereby representing the entire population of the undergraduate sandwich students at the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Akoka. Equally, 3 (three) null hypotheses were formulated and tested with the use of the Pearson Product Moment Correlational Coefficient Statistical tool at 0.05 level of significance. While the bio-data and the research questions were analysed with the use of the simple percentage frequency counts. At the end of the analyses, the following findings were revealed: there is a significant relationship between undergraduate sandwich students’ perception and the use of contraceptives as family planning at University of Lagos, there is a significant relationship between the attitudes of undergraduate sandwich towards use of contraceptives and avoidance of pregnancies, and that a significant gender difference exists in the use of contraceptives amongst undergraduate sandwich students at the University of Lagos. Based on the findings of this study, the study recommended among others that sandwich students should endeavour to abstain from sexual activities, but if they cannot abstain from sexual activities before marriage, they should learn how to use the contraceptives in order to avoid the unwanted pregnancies that can occur.