TITLE:
Determinants of Dual Protection Use among Adolescent Girls: Evidence from Maroua Regional Hospital, Cameroon (2024)
AUTHORS:
Veronique Sophie Mboua Batoum, Yasmile Ramatou, Clovis Ourtching, Christiane Jivir Fomu Nsahlaï, Emenguele Pascale Mpono, Madye Ngo Dingom, Serge Robert Nyada, Cliford Ebong, Felix Essiben, Esther Juliette Meka Ngo Um
KEYWORDS:
Adolescent, Dual Protection, Contraception, STI, Cameroon
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.15 No.11,
November
13,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Dual contraceptive protection, combining a modern method and condoms, is a vital strategy to simultaneously decrease unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescent girls. However, its usage remains limited in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was to identify the factors influencing dual protection use among adolescent girls attending the Maroua Regional Hospital in 2024. Methods: A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted from November 2023 to August 2024. Of 103 adolescents enrolled, 12 were excluded, resulting in 91 eligible participants. Sixty were retained after age matching (30 single-contraception, 30 dual-contraception). Data were collected via structured interviews and questionnaires and analysed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: The frequency of dual protection use was 32.9% (30/91). In bivariate analysis, adolescents with prior STIs, past pregnancy, or those using pills/condoms were more likely to use dual protection. After adjustment, factors positively associated with dual protection included: having a previous pregnancy (aOR = 2.03; p = 0.044), using male condoms (aOR = 5.01; p = 0.003), and believing in the effectiveness of dual protection (aOR = 11.1; p = 0.011). A common barrier was early marriage (aOR = 0.14; p = 0.041). Conclusion: The adoption of dual protection is affected by social, clinical, and perceptual factors. Our findings underscore the need to strengthen adolescent reproductive health programs by promoting dual protection and advancing efforts to end early marriage.