Effect of Health Education on Reproductive Health Knowledge of women in Two Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Enugu State South East Nigeria; a Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Many women participate in risky sexual behaviour including early debut in sexual activities, sex with many partners, and low/inconsistent use of condoms. Consequences of this are reproductive morbidities including STI/ HIV, unwanted pregnancies and complications which are preventable.

Objectives: This study aims at assessing the role of health education in the improvement of the reproductive health knowledge of women in Igbo-Eze North LGA, Enugu state, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out in Pre-intervention, intervention and post-intervention stages. Health education was administered to ‘study group’ following baseline data collection from two groups of study and control groups. Post intervention data was later collected. Chi-square test statistics was used to test for any significant differences even as before-and-after for the control study design was subjected to a difference in differences analysis. A p value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Health education intervention is significantly associated with increase in the respondents’ knowledge of contraceptives, changes occurring at puberty and also in the knowledge of STIs including HIV/AIDS and reproductive health concerns (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Health education intervention has significant impact on reproductive health knowledge of women in the rural communities of south east Nigeria. Reproductive health policy should as a matter of urgency be designed specifically to target women in underserved and rural areas in order to provide them with adequate knowledge on reproductive and sexual issues, and motivate them to understand the need for a healthy reproductive life.