Assessing Challenges Faced by Adolescent Girls in Accessing Youth -Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: Case of Ilala Distric
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Mzumbe university
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A Dissertation Submitted in Partial/Fulfilment of the Requirements for Award
of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) of Mzumbe University
This study was a non-experimental, descriptive study that combined qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of eighty adolescent girls completed the questionnaire, ten participated in In-depth interviews, two focus group discussions were conducted with representative parents/guardians and ten key informants were interviewed. Data were transcribed using using F4 program and later analyzed using Epidata and Nvivo 8. The study found that a good number of adolescent girls were aware of the services component within the youth-friendly SRH services and have ever received such services. The study found that term youth-friendly SRH service was not very familiar with many adolescent. The most common source of information reported was the mass media especially radio and TV, school, parents, guardian, peers and friends. The most known and sought services include; voluntary counseling and testing, family planning/ contraception, STI treatment, Care and treatment and information and education. Government facilities were the main service delivery point were adolescent received the SRH services or felt they can access such services. Factors behind inadequate access to services included; fear among adolescents, inadequate facilities, lack of knowledge about the existence of services, issues of confidentiality, availability of service and attitudes of health care providers. Inadequate access to services exposes adolescent girls to risk of unplanned pregnancies, STI including HIV/AIDS as well as unsafe abortions. The study recommends that there is a need for mobilization of resources for further investment in the sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls in order to improve their utilization of services.
This study was a non-experimental, descriptive study that combined qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of eighty adolescent girls completed the questionnaire, ten participated in In-depth interviews, two focus group discussions were conducted with representative parents/guardians and ten key informants were interviewed. Data were transcribed using using F4 program and later analyzed using Epidata and Nvivo 8. The study found that a good number of adolescent girls were aware of the services component within the youth-friendly SRH services and have ever received such services. The study found that term youth-friendly SRH service was not very familiar with many adolescent. The most common source of information reported was the mass media especially radio and TV, school, parents, guardian, peers and friends. The most known and sought services include; voluntary counseling and testing, family planning/ contraception, STI treatment, Care and treatment and information and education. Government facilities were the main service delivery point were adolescent received the SRH services or felt they can access such services. Factors behind inadequate access to services included; fear among adolescents, inadequate facilities, lack of knowledge about the existence of services, issues of confidentiality, availability of service and attitudes of health care providers. Inadequate access to services exposes adolescent girls to risk of unplanned pregnancies, STI including HIV/AIDS as well as unsafe abortions. The study recommends that there is a need for mobilization of resources for further investment in the sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls in order to improve their utilization of services.
Keywords
Adolescent Girl, Reproductive Health