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Impact of Emergency Contraception Education on Emergency Contraception Knowledge among Female University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Emergency contraception is an important component of reproductive health because it provides an option for preventing unintended pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure. Adequate knowledge of emergency contraception can help female university students understand its appropriate use, timing, effectiveness, available methods, limitations, and the importance of using regular contraceptive methods for ongoing pregnancy prevention. However, knowledge of emergency contraception among female university students in Nigeria may be inadequate because of misinformation, misconceptions about effectiveness and safety, stigma, cultural and religious beliefs, concerns about side effects, limited access to reliable reproductive health information, and inadequate counselling. Emergency contraception education provides an opportunity to improve students' understanding of appropriate emergency contraceptive options and promote informed reproductive health decisions. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of emergency contraception education on emergency contraception knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Theory of Planned Behavior, and Social Cognitive Theory. The Health Belief Model explains how students' perceptions of their susceptibility to unintended pregnancy, perceived severity of unintended pregnancy, perceived benefits of emergency contraception, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their acquisition and application of emergency contraception knowledge. The Theory of Planned Behavior emphasizes attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intentions in shaping reproductive health decisions. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes knowledge, self-efficacy, observational learning, social support, and environmental influences in developing appropriate reproductive health behaviours. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how emergency contraception education may influence emergency contraception knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise female undergraduate students enrolled in selected universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, universities, faculties, departments, and eligible female students. Emergency contraception education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to structured reproductive health education, frequency and duration of education sessions, information on emergency contraception methods, appropriate timing of use, effectiveness, circumstances requiring emergency contraception, mechanism of action at a general educational level, possible side effects, limitations, myths and misconceptions, availability and access, the distinction between emergency and routine contraception, and the importance of appropriate follow-up or regular contraceptive planning. Emergency contraception knowledge will be assessed using indicators such as understanding of the purpose of emergency contraception, available methods, appropriate timing, effectiveness, limitations, possible side effects, misconceptions, access points, and differences between emergency and regular contraceptive methods. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires and appropriate validated reproductive health knowledge assessment instruments where available. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' characteristics, exposure to emergency contraception education, and levels of emergency contraception knowledge. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of emergency contraception education on emergency contraception knowledge. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, emergency contraception knowledge scores before and after structured education may be compared, while relevant demographic, socioeconomic, educational, reproductive health, and healthcare-access factors are appropriately controlled. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that emergency contraception education has a significant positive impact on emergency contraception knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. Students who receive structured and evidence-based emergency contraception education are expected to demonstrate higher knowledge scores regarding appropriate use, timing, effectiveness, available options, limitations, and possible side effects than students with limited exposure to reproductive health education. Education may correct misconceptions, reduce unnecessary fear, improve students' ability to identify reliable reproductive health information, and encourage informed decision-making regarding unintended pregnancy prevention. Interactive education, confidential counselling, and opportunities to ask questions may further improve understanding and address concerns surrounding emergency contraception. However, cultural and religious beliefs, stigma, embarrassment, limited access to confidential reproductive health services, misinformation from peers and social media, and concerns about side effects may limit the effectiveness of education. The study therefore expects accessible, confidential, culturally sensitive, evidence-based, and regularly reinforced emergency contraception education to contribute significantly to improved emergency contraception knowledge among female university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on emergency contraception education, emergency contraception knowledge, reproductive health, unintended pregnancy prevention, contraceptive awareness, university students, women's health, reproductive health education, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, universities, student health services, reproductive health clinics, healthcare providers, reproductive health educators, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving contraceptive knowledge among young women. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating accurate emergency contraception education into university reproductive health programmes, strengthening confidential counselling services, developing culturally appropriate educational materials, training healthcare providers and peer educators, addressing misconceptions and stigma, and improving access to reliable reproductive health information among female university students across Nigeria.

Keywords: Emergency contraception education, emergency contraception knowledge, female university students, reproductive health, contraceptive knowledge, unintended pregnancy prevention, contraception education, women's health, university health services, Nigeria, public health.