Cross-Sectional Study on the Knowledge, Attitude, and Experience of Emergency Contraception among Female Students of the University of Sierra Leone

Background Emergency contraception (EC) is a safe and effective method of preventing pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse, but its use requires good knowledge and a positive attitude. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and experience of EC among female students of childbearing age at the University of Sierra Leone. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at the three colleges of the University of Sierra Leone: Fourah Bay College, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, and the Institute of Public Administration Management. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the 320 female undergraduate students using a multistage sampling approach. Knowledge about emergency contraception was measured and scored as “good knowledge” and “poor knowledge”. An independent t-test was used to determine the significant difference between the socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge score with statistical significance shown from a p-value < 0.05. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences 21. Results The mean age of the participants was 24.1 years. More than half of the participants (58.9%) had good knowledge of EC. The study found that age and study departments were significantly associated with knowledge of EC (P < 0.05), with older students and those from the health sciences having higher knowledge scores. Most of the respondents (85.6%) were sexually active and more than half of the participants had previously used EC, in the form of I-pills (99.5%). However, only 7.8% had experienced unintended pregnancy. The majority of the participants (65.9%) believed EC are safe, although some reported perceived side effects. Female friends were the main source of information on EC for 60.0% of the participants. Some participants however believed that using EC is one way of abortion (54.4%), a sinful act (56.9%) and promotes promiscuity (63.2%). Conclusion Our study found that more than half of the participants had good knowledge of emergency contraception, with age and study department significantly associated with knowledge levels. While most participants were sexually active and had used EC, misconceptions about its safety and moral implications were common. There is a need for tailored educational programs for young adults and university students from non-science departments to reduce the myths and misconceptions about contraception and to promote positive practices. Moreover, EC should be made more accessible and its use should be encouraged without prejudice.