Availability and Utilization of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among Adolescents of Godawari Municipality, Nepal: a Cross sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health is getting due attention in developing countries because investing among adolescent can bring multiple benefits. This study aims to assess the availability, utilization and explore different factors affecting the utilization of SRH services by adolescents of Godawari Municipality. Methods: cross-sectional, mixed-method study was conducted using the Anderson's model of health service utilization in 3 government secondary schools and three local health institutions in Godawari Municipality. A self-administered questionnaire was used among adolescents aged 15-19 (n = 416) and Key Informants Interview (KII) and observation were done in health institutions. Quantitative data was analyzed in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 and thematic analysis was done for qualitative data. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 17.31±0.99 years. Nearly one-third of them (30.63%) had not heard about Adolescents Friendly Health Services. Knowledge of ASRH, AFHS (AOR=2.814, 95% C.I=1.129-7.013) and conversation with parents (AOR=2.069, 95% C.I=1.094-3.912), availability of ASRH (AOR=2.801, 95% C.I=0.810-9.687) had significant relationship with utilization of Health Services. The adolescents’ perceived feeling of the need for ASRH services is significantly associated with the utilization of ASRH services (p=< .0001). Only 13.22% of them had ever used ASRH services and the reasons for not using services was the lack of realization of the need of services (60.39%) while 14.55% of them felt that privacy was not maintained at all. The KII found the number of adolescents visiting Health Facility (HF) was very less and those visiting for the SRH related services were rare. The observation showed none of the HF met the adolescents friendly criteria set by government even when they were once certified. Conclusion: Knowledge of respondents and their parents as well as availability of the services had significant role in the utilization of ASRH service by the adolescents. Awareness about the importance of health care services among the adolescent and the availability of services is essential.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

There was no specific funding for this research.

Author Declarations

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

The Institutional Review Committee of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences under the Nepal Health Research Council had provided ethical approval to conduct this study.

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

Yes

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

Yes

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.

Yes

Data Availability

All the data generated in the study are included in the manuscript.

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