Family Planning Needs of South African Adolescent Girls

Jennifer Brown of the University of Cincinnati in the U.S. will apply cultural consensus modeling (CCM) to identify cultural factors that affect contraceptive practices among South African adolescent girls aged between 14 and 17. This demographic currently has one of the highest rates of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, there is limited empirical data on the underlying reasons, particularly related to the use of so-called dual contraceptives, which protect against both pregnancy and STIs. The CCM approach involves a series of questions and interviews designed to identify factors that individuals believe influences the use of contraceptives within their group as a whole, rather than themselves individually. This will help identify cultural barriers that limit the use of contraceptives. They will test their approach using around 300 girls in South Africa and evaluate how these perceived factors are associated with actual contraceptive practices.