Purpose: To determine the knowledge, awareness, and factors associated with the practice of
dual contraception among female undergraduates in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study using a semi-structured self-administered
questionnaire to assess the knowledge and practice of dual contraception among female undergraduates
in the University of Ibadan and The Polytechnic, Ibadan. A total of 1,200 undergraduate
students were interviewed, and data obtained were analyzed with SPSS Version 18.0.
Results: The mean age of the respondents was 22.57±3.43 years. Among the respondents, 900
(84.6%) were unmarried, 871 (77.9%) have been sexually exposed, 793 (70.9%) had heard of dual
contraception, and 659 (58.9%) had knowledge of dual contraception. Majority (66.8%) of the
participants used effective contraception, of whom 423 (56.3%) used condom, while others used
other short- or long-term reversible contraception. More than two-thirds (79.2%) of the sexually
exposed respondents were aware of dual contraception, but only 465 (41.6%) had practiced it.
The main sources of information about dual contraception were from friends and radio (45.3%
and 36.1%, respectively). Those who had multiple sexual partners and early coitarche were more
likely to use dual contraception (P<0.05). History of previous sexually transmitted infection
(odds ratio =3.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] =2.03–4.62) and unwanted pregnancy (odds
ratio =3.53, 95% CI =2.62–4.74) were strongly associated with the use of dual contraception.
Conclusion: Uptake of dual contraception among the students was low. Efforts need to be
concentrated on determining and addressing the challenges that are responsible for the lower
uptake of dual contraception among female undergraduates who are at higher risk of unwanted
pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Promotion of consistent use of dual contraception
is pertinent in maximizing the benefits of dual contraception in our environment