title: A qualitative assessment of Ugandan women's perceptions and knowledge of contraception.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine Ugandan women's perceptions and knowledge of contraception.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy prepartum women were recruited from a national referral and university teaching hospital to participate in 1 of 5 focus group discussions on contraception. Transcripts were translated and coded by 2 researchers using inductive and deductive methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-six women participated in the focus group discussions. The major themes that emerged were around family planning as a method to space pregnancies and manage finances, as well as men's roles in decision making regarding contraception. Notable among the many incorrect notions about adverse effects of contraception were fears about cancer and infertility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that, among the study group of Ugandan women, decision making regarding family planning involves a complex negotiation among women, partners, and families. Furthermore, pervasive myths may hinder a woman's ability to choose safe and effective contraception. These findings are useful to healthcare providers and the greater public-health community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University, Durham, USA. Electronic address: jessica.morse@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Tami S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Rowen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Steinauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Josaphat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Byamugisha
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Othman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kakaire
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003267:Contraception / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attitudes and knowledge; Cancer; Contraception; Family planning; Infertility; Maternal mortality; Sub-Saharan Africa; Uganda