Socio-demographic characteristics
A total of 784 women were involved in the study making a response rate of 100%. The mean age of the respondents was 24.28 years with SD of ± 4.74. The majority of 621 (79.2 %) were urban residents, and 420 (53.6 %) were single. (Table 1 at the end of the text document).
Sexual and reproductive characteristics of respondents
Four hundred three (51.4%) of respondents had started first sexual intercourse less than the age of 18. Among the respondents, 342 (43.6. %) have one or more children. Six hundred four (77%) were first time arrival for termination of pregnancy, 179 (22.8) had a prior history of induced abortion, among those who had a history of induced abortion, 135 (75.4%) had one episode, and 28(15.6%) had more than three induced abortions.
Distance from home to the nearby health institution (in terms of time elapse)
The respondent’s distance from home to the nearby health institution ranges from 1 minute to 720 minutes. Majority of the respondents 638(81.4%) stated that stated they could reach in the nearby health institution within 30 minutes.
Utilization of regular family planning methods
Five hundred forty-one (69%) had ever used regular contraceptive methods. Among those who had ever used regular contraceptive method 397 (73.4%) used an injectable contraceptive.
5.5 Knowledge and attitude about emergency contraceptive
The overall summary index for knowledge and attitude of the respondents about EC disclosed that 434 (55.4%) were knowledgeable and 376(48%) had a favorable attitude towards EC.
Utilization of emergency contraception
In this study 400(51%) of respondents had ever used EC; were all of them used EC pills. The main source of information for those who ever used EC were friends 243(60.8%), sexual partner 84 (21%), media 50(12.5%), health professionals 6(1.5%), web pages 7(1.7%) and 10(2.5%) other sources,
Respondents who had never used EC mentioned main factors for non-utilization and they are; lack of information 255(66.5%), time inconvenience 14(3.7%), lack of willingness19(4.9%), drugs unavailability5(1.3%), privacy issue6(1.5%).
Factors associated with the utilization of emergency contraception
On the bivariate analysis factors found to be significantly associated with EC use were: women’s age, residence, religion, ethnicity, marital status, father’s educational status, number of children, knowledge of EC and attitude towards EC From those variables found to be significant in the bivariate analysis with EC use; age of respondents 20–24 years adjusted odds ratio [AOR = 2.10, 95%CI: 1.200 - 3.671], residence [AOR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.273 - 3.218], single marital [AOR = 1.71,95%CI:1.176 - 2.485], knowledge of EC AOR = [5.66,95%CI: 3.976, 8.070], attitude towards EC [AOR꞉ = 2.75, 95%CI: 1.946 - 3.881] were found to be significantly associated with EC use after adjusting possible confounding variables ( Table 2 at the end of the text document)