A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES OF HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS IN HO CHI MINH CITY REGARDING CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS

Abstract

Background: Health science students are expected to take the lead in practicing and promoting reproductive health.

Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health science students regarding contraceptive methods and to investigate demographic factors that influence them.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted from January to May 2025 among health science students in Ho Chi Minh City.

Results: Among 528 participants, 277 (52.5%) had good knowledge about contraception, and 250 (47.3%) showed a positive attitude. Most respondents correctly answered questions about the use of condoms (85.4%) and the majority (95.3%) disagreed with the notion that only women are responsible for using contraception. Attitude and knowledge were correlated with the year of study and field of study. Gender (p=0.015) and monthly personal expenditure (p <0.001) influenced contraceptive behavior.

Conclusions: The results show that most students have a positive attitude towards contraception, but their knowledge about family planning and contraceptive methods remains average. These findings may help improve future communication program about contraception, especially among medical students.

Keywords: knowledge; attitude; practice; contraception; student