Toward contraception education in basic schools: Teachers' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding contraceptive use by basic school pupils in a Ghanaian Municipality.

Objectives: We examined teachers' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding contraception by basic school pupils in a Ghanaian Municipality. Methods: This was an explorative, analytical cross-sectional study using the mixed-method approach. Participants comprised 183 public and private basic school teachers and 20 school health coordinators in the study area. The statistical tests carried out were in two folds. Quantitative data were analyzed with a statistical package for social sciences version 20 to generate tables. A logistic regression model was used to examine associations between the predictor and the binary response variables. Adjusted odds ratio accounted for other predictor variables in the model. For the qualitative data, recorded interviews were transcribed and content analysis was done to identify themes, subthemes, and results presented as participants' direct quotations/paraphrased statements. Knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes were assessed using 3-Likert scale type questions developed by the author. Results: Participants' sociodemographic characteristics were associated with perceptions and attitudes toward contraception in basic schools. At 95% confidence intervals, the Conclusions: Basic school teachers have challenges with contraceptive education which have implications for comprehensive sex education in Ghanaian basic schools. We recommend a similar study among parents of the pupils and a nationwide study to examine this concept further.