UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI FACULTY OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK AN ASSESSEMENT OF THE FAMILY PLANNING KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF IN-SCHOOL TEENAGE MOTHERS IN HOMABAY SUB-COUNTY BY HELLEN MURUGI C50/71866/2014 A RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIOLOGY (MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI. OCTOBER, 2017 DECLARATION This research report is my original work and has not been submitted for award of a degree in any other university. Signature…………………………………... Date: ……………………………. HELLEN MURUGI (C50/71866/2014) This research report has been submitted for examination with my approval as the University Supervisor Signature…………………………………... Date: ……………………………. NAME: PROF. EDWARD K. MBURUGU ii DEDICATION To my dear parents Mr and Mrs. Alfred Murithi, and to my mentor, role model Dr. Chichi Undie for their prayers and ceaseless support. To my siblings, Mugambi and Kithinji, thank you for their encouragement. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to extend my gratitude to staff in the Department of sociology and social work, for their support especially at the time of proposal development and defense. My special cognizance goes to my supervisor Prof. Edward Mburugu for his support and professional guidance throughout the project. Your inputs were intellectually rich and inspirational. My incomparable gratitude goes to the Ministry of Education Office Homabay Sub County, County Commissioner HomaBay Sub County, School headteachers, guidance and counseling teachers and Community health workers from HomaBay Sub-County for the towering support during data collection. I also appreciate my able teenage mothers who gave me their time and were so open and warm to share the information with me. I wish to convey special cognizance to my workmates and research assistant who supported me to collect this date Jane Musia and Jane Adhiambo, I so much appreciate for the support you gave me in the field. It greatly influenced my passion to carry out the study. My great people who walked this journey with me, Dr George Odwe thank for pushing me to complete this master, Florian Lugaliki thank you so much for walking with me this journey of data. I also acknowledge my friends Carol, Catherine, Silvia, Tom, Kelvin, and Anthony Kiema for your encouragement and inputs in to the study and being part of my life. I wish you well in your ventures. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION......................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION............................................................................................................ iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ......................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................... ix LIST OF ABBREVATIONS AND ACRONYMS .....................................................x ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................1 1.1 Background of the Study .........................................................................................1 1.2 Problem Statement ...................................................................................................4 1.2.1 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................6 1.3 Research Questions ..................................................................................................6 1.4 Objective of the Study ...........................................................................................6 1.4.1 Main Objective.............................................................................................6 1.4.2 Specific Objectives of the Study ..................................................................6 1.5 Justification of the Study .........................................................................................7 1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study .........................................................................7 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................8 2.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................8 2.1.1 The African Situation ...................................................................................9 2.1.2 The Kenyan Situation ................................................................................10 2.1.3 Teenage pregnancy in Homa-Bay Sub- County ........................................11 2.2 Theoretical Framework ..........................................................................................13 2.2.1 Social Learning Theory..............................................................................13 2.2.2 Symbolic interactions Theory ....................................................................14 2.3 Conceptual framework ...........................................................................................15 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................17 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................17 3.2 Research Site ..........................................................................................................17 3.3 Research Design.....................................................................................................18 v 3.4 Unit of analysis and unit of observation ................................................................18 3.5 Target population ...................................................................................................18 3.6 Sample size and sampling procedure .....................................................................18 3.6.1 Sample size ................................................................................................18 3.6.2 Sampling procedure ...................................................................................18 3.7 Methods of Data collection ....................................................................................19 3.7.1 Collection of Quantitative data ..................................................................19 3.7.2 Collection of Qualitative data (Key Informant interviews) .......................20 3.8 Ethical considerations ............................................................................................20 3.9 Data Processing and Analysis ................................................................................20 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION .................................................................................................22 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................22 4.2 Social demographic characteristics of the respondents .........................................22 4.2.1 Age Distribution.........................................................................................22 4.2.2 Class level of Education.............................................................................23 4.2.3 Class Level Education................................................................................24 4.2.4 Religion ......................................................................................................24 4.2.5 Marital Status .............................................................................................25 4.2.6 Family Size ................................................................................................26 4.3 Knowledge of Family Planning .............................................................................28 4.4 Attitude towards Family Planning .........................................................................30 4.5 Access to Family planning services and Practice ..................................................31 4.5.1 Cross tabulation of if ever used FP and if FP are available in community 32 4.5.2 Lack of awareness ......................................................................................32 4.6 Factors Affecting Utilization of Family Planning .................................................35 4.6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................35 4.6.2 Inadequate Sensitization ............................................................................35 4.6.3 Age of Teenage Mothers ............................................................................35 4.6.4 Level of Education .....................................................................................35 4.6.5 Attitude towards Family Planning .............................................................36 4.6.6 Retrogressive Culture.................................................................................36 4.6.7 Practice of Family Planning .......................................................................37 vi 4.6.8 Peer Pressure ..............................................................................................37