Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care

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Adolescent/Youth Utilization of Reproductive Health Services: Knowledge Still a Barrier

Received: 04 September 2016    Accepted: 14 October 2016    Published: 21 October 2016
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Abstract

As a country drives efforts in establishing adolescent/youth friendly services to cater to the unique reproductive and sexual health of adolescents/youths, it is pertinent that the youth know about these services to be able to access and benefit from them. This study therefore examined the knowledge of youths on available adolescent/youth friendly services (A/YFRHS) in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey that collected data from 427 (15 to 24) year olds. Respondents answered questions on general knowledge of A/YFRHS, Sources of knowledge about A/YFRHS, Services offered by A/YFRHS facilities and identification of locally available A/YFRHS. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 to generate descriptive statistics. Two hundred and twenty-eight (82%) of the respondents had general knowledge about A/YFRHS. More than half, 268 (79.5%) of the respondents did not know of a specific A/YFRHS provided in study area. Friends/peers (45.7%) were the best source of information on A/YFRHS. The most popular services known were family planning (81.6%), voluntary counselling and testing (73.8%), and sexually transmitted diseases (67.3%). Knowledge was low (SE = 0.11; SD = 2.20) with a mean score of 5.46 on a 10-point scale. The participants knew what adolescent/youth friendly services were but did not know where to get these services from because they were not aware of the available A/YFRHS facilities. Extensive awareness of locally available A/YFRHS is needed in the study area.

DOI 10.11648/j.jfmhc.20160203.12
Published in Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care (Volume 2, Issue 3, September 2016)
Page(s) 17-22
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Adolescents Services, Developing Countries, Reproductive Health, Youth, Youth Friendly Services

References
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[3] Agampodi, S. B., T. C. Agampodi and U. K. Piyaseeli. 2008. “Adolescent perception of reproductive health care services in Sri Lanka.” BMC Health Services Research 8 (98): 1-8. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-8-98.
[4] Lagos State Ministry of Health. (2016). Adolescent Sexuality and Reproductive Health (Hello Lagos) Retrieved from http://www.lsmoh.com/programme_info.php?programme_id=22.
[5] Kumar, R., S. Prinja, and P. V. Lakshmi. 2008. “Health seeking behaviour of adolescents: Comparative study of two service delivery models.” Indian Journal of Pediatrics 75 (9): 895-899. DOI: 10.1007/s12098-008-0098-2.
[6] Roudi-Fahimi, F, and L. Ashford. 2008. “Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Middle East and North Africa: A Guide for reporters.” Washington DC: Population Reference Bureau. http://www.prb.org/publications/media-guides/2008/mediaguide.aspx.
[7] Omobuwa, O., E. O. Asekun-Olarinmoye, and F. O. Olajide. 2012. “Knowledge and perception of reproductive health services among in-school adolescents in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.” Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences 3 (7), 2012, 481-488. http://www.interesjournals.org/full-articles/knowledge-and-perception-of-reproductive-health-services-among-in-school-adolescents-in-ile-ife-osun-state-nigeria.pdf?view=inline.
[8] Feleke, S. A., D. N. Koye., A. F. Demssie, and Z. B. Mengesha. 2013. “Reproductive health service utilization and associated factors among adolescents (15-19 years old) in Gondar town, NorthWest Ethiopia.” BMC Health Services Research, 13: 294. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-13-294.
[9] Mutati, Christine. M. 2012. “Adolescents Access to and Use of Reproductive Health Services in Ndola Urban, Masters thesis., University of Zambia.
[10] Carlisle, J. D. Shickle., M. Cork, and A. McDonagh. 2006. “Concerns over confidentiality may deter adolescents from consulting their doctors. A qualitative exploration.” Journal of Medical Ethics 32 (3): 133-137. Doi: 10.1136/jme.2004.011262.
[11] Mbeba, R. M., M. S. Mkuye., G. E. Magembe., W. L. Yotham., A. O. Mellah, and S. B. Mkuwa. 2012. “Barriers to sexual reproductive health services and rights among young people in Mtwara district, Tanzania: a qualitative study.” The Pan African Medical Journal 13 (1): 1-6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3589247/.
[12] Depaah, J. M., S. C. Appiah., E. Badu., B. Obeng, and V. Ampiah. 2015. “Does facility based sexual and reproductive health services meet the needs of young persons? Views from section of Ghanaian youth.” Advances in Sexual Medicine 5 (3), 61-71. DOI: 10.4236/asm.2015.53008
[13] Breaken, D, and I. Rondinelli. 2012. “Sexual and reproductive health needs of young people: Matching needs with systems.” International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics 119 (1): 2012, 60-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2012.03.019.
[14] McIntyre, P. 2012. “Adolescent friendly health services: an agenda for change, World Health Organisation.” WHO/FCH/CAH/02.14, UK.
[15] Akinyi, O. P. 2009. “Determinants of utilization of youth friendly reproductive health services among school and college youth in Thika West District, Kiambu County, Kenya.” Master’s thesis., Kenyatta University.
[16] Fatusi, A. O. 2012. “National Standard and Minimum Service Package for Adolescent and Youth Friendly Health Services in Nigeria.” http://www.expandnet.net/PDFs/Nigeria_AHD%20standards_2013.pdf
[17] Bedho T. K. 2014. “Assessment of utilization of youth friendly reproductive health services among college youth in Asela town, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia.” masters thesis., Addis Ababa University.
[18] T. S. Mengistu, and A. T. Melku. 2013. “Sexual and reproductive health problems and service needs of university students in south east Ethiopia: Exploratory qualitative study.” Science Journal of Public Health 1 (4): 184-188. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/asm.2015.53008.
[19] Okereke, C. I. 2010. “Unmet Reproductive Health Needs and Health-Seeking Behaviour of Adolescents in Owerri Nigeria.” African Journal of Reproductive Health 14 (1): 43-54. http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?rh10004.
[20] Biddlecom, A. E., A. Muntbali., S. Singh, and V. Woog. 2007. “Adolescents' views of and preferences for sexual and reproductive health services in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda.” African Journal of Reproductive Health 11 (3): 99-110. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2367115/.
[21] Tegegn, A., M, Yazachew, and Y, Gelaw. 2013. “Reproductive health knowledge and attitude among adolescents.” Ethiopian Journal for Health Development 22 (3): 143-151. http://ejhd.uib.no/ejhd-v22-n3/243%20Reproductive%20health%20knowledge%20and%20attitude%20among%20adolesc.pdf
[22] Lagos Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Lagos State Government: Digest of Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/2013_Digest%20_of_Statistics.pdf
[23] Godia, P. M., J. M. Olenja., J. J. Hofman, and N. Broek. 2014. “Young people’s perception of sexual and reproductive health services in Kenya.” BMC Health Services Research 14: 172-185. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-172.
[24] Oxfam. 2007. “Protocols for community-based youth-friendly health services for rural youth in the context of HIV and AIDS for EU/Oxfam Supported HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Programme for Rural and Tribal Youth in India.” IN/2007/ED/19, India, 3.
[25] Cherie, N. G Tura, and A. N, Teklehaymanot. 2015. Reproductive health needs and service utilization among youths.” Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology 7 (4): 145-153. DOI: 10.5897/JPHE2014.0700.
[26] International Planned Parenthood Federation. (2007). A guide for developing policies on sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people in Europe. Brussels. http://www.ippfen.org/resources/sexual-and-reproductive-health-right-young-people-europe-guide-developing-policies
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Author Information
  • Department of Public Health, School of Public & Allied Health, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Nigeria

  • Department of Public Health, School of Public & Allied Health, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Nigeria

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  • APA Style

    Saratu O. Ajike, Valerie C. Mbegbu. (2016). Adolescent/Youth Utilization of Reproductive Health Services: Knowledge Still a Barrier. Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care, 2(3), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfmhc.20160203.12

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    ACS Style

    Saratu O. Ajike; Valerie C. Mbegbu. Adolescent/Youth Utilization of Reproductive Health Services: Knowledge Still a Barrier. J. Fam. Med. Health Care 2016, 2(3), 17-22. doi: 10.11648/j.jfmhc.20160203.12

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    AMA Style

    Saratu O. Ajike, Valerie C. Mbegbu. Adolescent/Youth Utilization of Reproductive Health Services: Knowledge Still a Barrier. J Fam Med Health Care. 2016;2(3):17-22. doi: 10.11648/j.jfmhc.20160203.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jfmhc.20160203.12,
      author = {Saratu O. Ajike and Valerie C. Mbegbu},
      title = {Adolescent/Youth Utilization of Reproductive Health Services: Knowledge Still a Barrier},
      journal = {Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care},
      volume = {2},
      number = {3},
      pages = {17-22},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jfmhc.20160203.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfmhc.20160203.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jfmhc.20160203.12},
      abstract = {As a country drives efforts in establishing adolescent/youth friendly services to cater to the unique reproductive and sexual health of adolescents/youths, it is pertinent that the youth know about these services to be able to access and benefit from them. This study therefore examined the knowledge of youths on available adolescent/youth friendly services (A/YFRHS) in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey that collected data from 427 (15 to 24) year olds. Respondents answered questions on general knowledge of A/YFRHS, Sources of knowledge about A/YFRHS, Services offered by A/YFRHS facilities and identification of locally available A/YFRHS. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 to generate descriptive statistics. Two hundred and twenty-eight (82%) of the respondents had general knowledge about A/YFRHS. More than half, 268 (79.5%) of the respondents did not know of a specific A/YFRHS provided in study area. Friends/peers (45.7%) were the best source of information on A/YFRHS. The most popular services known were family planning (81.6%), voluntary counselling and testing (73.8%), and sexually transmitted diseases (67.3%). Knowledge was low (SE = 0.11; SD = 2.20) with a mean score of 5.46 on a 10-point scale. The participants knew what adolescent/youth friendly services were but did not know where to get these services from because they were not aware of the available A/YFRHS facilities. Extensive awareness of locally available A/YFRHS is needed in the study area.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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    T1  - Adolescent/Youth Utilization of Reproductive Health Services: Knowledge Still a Barrier
    AU  - Saratu O. Ajike
    AU  - Valerie C. Mbegbu
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    AB  - As a country drives efforts in establishing adolescent/youth friendly services to cater to the unique reproductive and sexual health of adolescents/youths, it is pertinent that the youth know about these services to be able to access and benefit from them. This study therefore examined the knowledge of youths on available adolescent/youth friendly services (A/YFRHS) in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey that collected data from 427 (15 to 24) year olds. Respondents answered questions on general knowledge of A/YFRHS, Sources of knowledge about A/YFRHS, Services offered by A/YFRHS facilities and identification of locally available A/YFRHS. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 to generate descriptive statistics. Two hundred and twenty-eight (82%) of the respondents had general knowledge about A/YFRHS. More than half, 268 (79.5%) of the respondents did not know of a specific A/YFRHS provided in study area. Friends/peers (45.7%) were the best source of information on A/YFRHS. The most popular services known were family planning (81.6%), voluntary counselling and testing (73.8%), and sexually transmitted diseases (67.3%). Knowledge was low (SE = 0.11; SD = 2.20) with a mean score of 5.46 on a 10-point scale. The participants knew what adolescent/youth friendly services were but did not know where to get these services from because they were not aware of the available A/YFRHS facilities. Extensive awareness of locally available A/YFRHS is needed in the study area.
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