Sunday Itasanmi - Department of Adult Education, University of Ibadan.
Helen Andong - Department of Continuing Education and Developmental Studies
Omobola Adelore - Department of Adult Education, University of Ibadan

Background and Objectives: Many studies have explored associated and determining factors regarding contraceptive prevalence and use as well as the disparities in contraceptive use based on different regions in Nigeria but none has made effort to establish the influence of health literacy on contraceptive knowledge, attitude and use. This study, therefore, attempted to examine the impact of health literacy on Nigerian adults’ contraceptive knowledge, attitude and use. Material and Methods: The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design and the population of the study consisted of Nigerians who are ۱۸ years and above and reside in any part of the country.  A non-probability sampling technique was adopted and a questionnaire was the main instrument of data collection for this study. A total of ۴۲۶ participants participated in the study. Frequency count, simple percentages, mean, standard deviation, T-test, one-way ANOVA, regression and correlational analysis were used to analyse the data generated from the study.Results: The study indicated that ۹۰.۶% of the Nigerian adult population has adequate health literacy, and ۵۳.۸% of them have poor contraceptive knowledge. Similarly, ۶۵.۷% of the participants have positive attitudes towards contraception while ۵۸.۲% of the participants’ contraceptive use is high. Further, health literacy was shown to have a significant but weak positive impact on contraceptive knowledge (r = ۰.۳۴۵, p<۰.۰۰۱), attitudes toward contraception (r = ۰.۳۶۲, p<۰.۰۰۱), and contraceptive use (r = ۰.۲۱۸, p<۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: The study’s results imply that many other factors aside from health literacy affect people’s contraceptive knowledge, attitude and use. Hence, addressing the health literacy of adult Nigerians is only one aspect of improving contraceptive knowledge, attitude and use.

Health Literacy, Contraceptive knowledge, Attitude, Use, Nigerian Adult population