University of Dar es Salaam School of Health Sciences

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Browsing University of Dar es Salaam School of Health Sciences by Subject "Adolescent"

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    Examining availability and utilization of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services: perceptions of healthcare providers and adolescents in Kinondoni municipal, Dar es Salaam.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2018) Bulongeleje, Method
    Adolescents’ Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) issues are major causes of death and disability among adolescents. Literatures show that barriers to adolescents’ access to reproductive health services included shyness, poor relations with health staff, illiteracy and low prioritization by parents for reproductive health services. The reviewed studies indicate that healthcare providers felt uncomfortable to give the services to the youth below 18 years. It also indicates that, healthcare providers perceive that, it is inappropriate for girls of age 10 - 18 to access SRHS especially family planning. Utilization of ASRHS services among adolescents has been observed to be still low, which predispose them into risks of early and unwanted pregnancy, STIs including HIV/AIDS and other SRH problems. The extent at which individual perceptions contributes to use or deny to particular services is unknown. The study aimed at assessing perceptions of healthcare providers and adolescents on availability and utilization of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services. A cross sectional study was conducted in selected secondary schools and health facilities in Kinondoni Municipal, Dar es Salaam region, to involve adolescents and healthcare providers respectively. Data was collected using mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) involving semi structured and in-depth interviews of which, 374 questionnaires for adolescents and 142 healthcare providers were obtained and included in the study for analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and P-value of < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. It is found that, there is variation in perceptions towards availability of ASRHS among adolescents and HCPs. Higher (90% or more) for HCPs, while lower among adolescents with less than half (43%) of the adolescent’s participants perceived that condoms are available. Despite of the willingness of healthcare providers to provide ASRHS to adolescents, it is found that, adolescents perceives that, they are not supposed to utilize ASRH services, because such services are not meant for them. In both healthcare providers and adolescents some ASRHS are more recommend than others. Perceived needs on ASRH services influence needs to get information on ASRHS. It is found that, adolescents perceive that, the services are not meant for them. This affects their perceptions on availability and utilization of ASRHS. It is found that, differences among adolescents on perceptions between demands and supply affects utilization of ASRHS. There is need to train and impart ASRHS skills among healthcare providers dealing with adolescents, in order to help in shaping perceived needs of adolescents.