Correlates of family planning knowledge among people in fishing communities of Lake Victoria in Uganda

BackgroundFamily planning (FP) is a key component in the conduct of HIV prevention trials and FP knowledge is a determinant of modern contraceptive use. Although fishing communities (FCs) participate in HIV prevention trials, knowledge about FP in this population is scarcely known. We determined correlates of FP knowledge in FCs of L. Victoria in Uganda to inform improvements in FP interventions in preparation for other HIV prevention trials.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey among participants aged 16-49 years in Kigungu and Nsazi FCs. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to assess FP knowledge. A composite score with 5 parameters including; awareness about FP methods, knowledge about ideal number of children for a couple, knowledge about ideal birth spacing interval, knowledge about FP methods and their side effects and interval between the last 2 children was used to determine whether participant’s knowledge was or wasn’t satisfactory. Satisfactory FP knowledge was attributed to a score of ≥80% from the five parameters. We also conducted 10 in-depth interviews and 4 focus group discussions.ResultsOf the 1,410 screened participants, 95% were aware of at least one FP method while only 21% had satisfactory knowledge. Participants aged 30-39 years, those engaged in trade/business, housewives, those from Nsazi, the married or those who were divorced, separated or widowed were more likely to have satisfactory FP knowledge compared to those aged 16-29 years (aOR: 1.59 95% CI: 1.14-2.22), farmers (aOR: 3.14 95% CI: 1.21-8.17), and (aOR: 3.69 95% CI: 1.35-10.1), those from Kigungu (aOR: 1.58 95%CI: 1.09-2.30), those who were single (aOR: 6.96 95% CI: 3.42-14.13) or (aOR: 17.67 95% CI: 8.54-36.54).There were concerns about side effects and effectiveness of some modern FP methods. Misconceptions about effects of FP like sterility, cancers and foetal abnormalities were common. Cultural beliefs on contraception are key barriers to FP information.ConclusionPeople from FCs in Uganda are aware of FP but their knowledge is largely unsatisfactory. Concerns about method safety, effectiveness of some methods, misconceptions and cultural barriers exist. A FP education tool tailored for a mobile, high risk and remote population is recommended to improve FP knowledge.