Less than fifty percent of the total respondents mentioned that a woman likely become pregnant within 2-3 weeks of the menstrual cycle if they had sexual intercourse. The finding was in agreement with a study conducted among University students in Mekele (33.) Out of the total 965 respondents, 344(35.6%) have had sexual intercourse in their life time. The prevalence of sexual relationship was lower than the results of University students in Kampala, Nigerian undergraduate students where 42% and 43%of the students had sexual experience respectively (24, 25.)The low sexual relationship prevalence could be the respondents might not express their real history because they considered that premarital sex is not socially accepted norm. The result of this study was higher than the findings among female university students in Addis Ababa, Mekele, Deberemarkos and Adama where 19.5 %, 17.3%, 26.4% and 29.4% had ever had sexual experience respectively (22, 28, 31, 33.)
In this study, about 83.3% of the total respondent had ever heard about modern contraceptive methods. This result shows lower knowledge of modern contraceptive methods than studies done among university students in Debremarkos (91.9%), Adama (95.2%) and Mekele (93%) (27, 28, 33.) This difference could be due to difference in socio-economic differences of the study participant especially educational level. Furthermore, among the respondent who had ever heard about modern contraceptive methods only 32% reported ever used any modern contraceptive methods and the result of this study was higher than the studies done among under graduate students in Debremarkos (24%), Adama (10.7%) &Mekele (10.3%)(27,28,33.) This difference could be due to deference prevalence of sexual relationship in these universities and the community.
From the total study participants, three hundred seventy three (38.7 %) had ever heard of emergency contraception. This result lower than the study done among female University Students in Addis Ababa (43.5%), Debremarkos(71.1%), Adama (46.8%), Mekele University (44.7%), Kampala University ( 45%) and Nigerian undergraduate students (58% ) (24, 25, 27, 28, 31,33.) This great discrepancy might be due to the socio demographic difference of the respondents such as the age, occupation, educational status and marital status of the respondents.
In this study 61.8% of the total respondent had positive attitude towards making EC available to all women who need it and 79% have an intention to use EC in the future when the need arises. Respondents in this study had better attitude towards EC when compared to study in Addis Ababa University students where 52.6% had positive attitude towards making EC available to all women who need it and 63 % of the students had an intention to use EC in the future(30,31.) On other hand, the finding of this study is lower than the studies among university students in Mekele and Adama where 75.5% and 63% of the respondent had positive attitude towards emergency contraception (28, 33.) The difference in attitude could be due to difference socio- demographic characteristics such as educational status and occupation.
Awareness of EC remained higher for the respondent aged 20 years and above compared to their younger with AOR 2.06(1.52, 2.81.) This result had similarity with study done in Deberemarkos, Adama and Mekele University, (27, 28, and 33.) Educational status were significantly associated with awareness of EC in this study i.e. those who had secondary education or above had better awareness than those with no education and primary education. In others studies this had similar findings that is as the level of education increases awareness also higher (27, 28 &33.)
Government employees, private business owners and students had better awareness than those classified as private employees and others. But this is not shown in other studies (27, 28 &33.) The significance seen in this study could be due deference in socio-demographic characteristics among study subjects.
Eve had sexual intercourse, ever had discussion about RH issues and pervious knowledge of contraceptive methods use remains highly significant to increase awareness of emergency contraception. This finding is in agreement with the result of the studies in Debremarkos, Adama and Mekele University students (27, 28 & 33.)