Adolescência e métodos contraceptivos: percepções sobre a escolha dos métodos contraceptivos entre as adolescentes do bairro da Machava-sede, Cidade da Matola

Abstract

this study intended to understand the perceptions about contraceptive methods among youths. Berger and Luckman’s theory of social construction of reality was applied. The study was guided by a qualitative approach to understand the perceptions of female adolescents regarding contraceptive methods. The data collection technique used was the semi-structured interview, and for analysis was used content analysis as a technique. It was found that adolescents have a certain level of knowledge about the existence of various methods and that they have preferences in the short acting methods such as the pill and the male condom. This result allow to understand that contraceptives are commodities often present in adolescent’s social reality. The perceptions that adolescents have about contraceptive methods are influenced by the information they have about them. These adolescents perceive short-term methods as the most accessible because they can be obtained in the health unit, school health corners and youth associations, in addition to the easiest to use because they do not need a health provider to administer them. The study concluded that the perceptions that adolescents have about contraceptive methods in general constitute motivations for choosing short acting contraceptive methods.