SOCIO-CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF INDUCED ABORTION AMONG FEMALE ADOLESCENTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NSUKKA URBAN OF ENUGU STATE

Abstract

The study was embarked upon to find out the socio-cultural determinants of induced abortion among female adolescents of secondary schools in Nsukka Urban of Enugu State. Four specific objectives with four corresponding research questions, and one null hypothesis guided the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population for the study consisted of 1,525 female adolescents from co-educational and Girls only secondary schools. The sample was 308 female adolescents selected through multistage sampling technique. Researcher’s- designed valid and reliable questionnaire was used for data collection. Mean scores were used to answer the research questions, while t-test statistic was used to test the null hypothesis at .05 level of significance. Results of the study among others indicate that female adolescents accepted culture ( x =3.46), family background and upbringing ( x =3.51), and peer pressure ( x =3.19) as socio-cultural determinants of induced abortion; and female adolescents of all school types accepted the enlisted socio-cultural determinants of induced abortion, with those in co-educational schools ( x =4.05) having slightly higher mean responses than those in Girls’ only schools ( x =4.03). There was no significant difference in the sociocultural determinants of induced abortion among female adolescents based on school type. Based on the findings, recommendations were made among which is that health personnel and significant others should sensitize adolescents on the consequences of involvement in induced abortion and the risk factors so as to reduce deaths and complications resulting from its practices.