Partnering With Christian Religious Leaders To Increase Contraceptive Coverage: A Viable Option In Enugu Nigeria

A cross-sectional survey of non-Catholic Christian religious leaders was conducted in order to determine the awareness, practice and attitude to family planning amongst Christian religious leaders in Enugu, Eastern Nigeria. 303 respondents were recruited through a stratified random sampling technique. The mean age of respondents was 44±4 years. Every respondent was aware of at least one family planning method. Knowledge of the methods were: calendar method (45.9%), withdrawal (40.3%), condom (39.6%), (IUCD) (36.6%) and periodic sexual abstinence (28.7%). The main sources of information on family planning were health workers (46.9%), mass media (29.0%) and friends (12.5%). All respondents at risk of unwanted pregnancy were practicing some forms of family planning. The methods commonly practiced were withdrawal (28.7%), IUCD (26.2%), calendar (25.6%), condom (11.6%) and Billing’s method (7.3%). 124 (41%) respondents had ever recommended family planning to members of their congregations or groups; none ever discouraged its practice. The high rates of awareness, practice and favourable attitude to family planning existing amongst the Christian religious leaders in Enugu, offer opportunities for a partnership between family planning service providers and the religious leaders such that contraceptive information could be disseminated through the churches.