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Article History

Received: 8 July 2024

Accepted: 28 October 2024

First Online: 12 November 2024

Declarations

:

: The study protocol was approved by the Maseno University Scientific and Ethical Review Committee (MUSERC) under reference MSU/DRPI/MUSERC/01273/23, the National Commission for Science, Technology, Innovation (NACOSTI) under reference NACOSTI/P/23/31622 and County Government Approval under reference CG/BSA/H/ADM/1/56/VIII(109) with endorsements and administrative approval obtained from Busia County and hospital administrators. Informed written consent was obtained from all participants before administering questionnaires and conducting interviews, with information provided in Kiswahili/Luhya to ensure comprehension. Participants were informed about ethical considerations, study procedures, confidentiality measures, potential benefits and risks, and their right to withdraw at any time. Minimal risks included potential discomfort during data collection, but privacy and confidentiality were prioritized, and a counselor was available for after-study effects. There were no direct benefits or payments for participation, but findings could inform policy and intervention programs. All participant information was kept confidential, anonymized using unique codes, and securely stored in a password-protected, encrypted database. Participation was voluntary, with the option to withdraw at any time without penalty.

: Not Applicable.

: The views and content expressed in this article are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the affiliated institutions.

: Derrick Kimuli, a co-Guest Editor for the collection on “Enhancing Contraceptive Education and Accessibility in Vulnerable Populations,” acknowledges a potential conflict of interest with this manuscript. To maintain impartiality and transparency, he has arranged for the review process to adhere strictly to the Contraception and Reproductive Medicine Journal’s internal procedures. The remaining authors declare no competing interests.