Media Influence on Sexual Activity and Contraceptive Use: A Cross Sectional Survey among Young Women in Urban Nigeria

This study assessed the relationship between recent exposure to family planning (FP) messages in the media (newspaper, radio, television, and mobile phones) and use of modern contraceptive methods among women aged 15-24 years living in six cities in Nigeria. Logistic regression models were used to predict recent media exposure to FP messages and its association with sexual experience and modem contraceptive method use. About 45% of our sample had ever had sex with only a quarter of them using a modem contraceptive method at the time of survey. Approximately 71% of our sample was exposed to FP messages in the media within the three months preceding the survey. The main sources of media exposure were mobile phones (48%), radio (37%), and television (29%). Controlling for relevant factors, recent media exposure to FP messages predicted both sexual experience and use of modem contraceptive methods, although there were city-level differences.