Assessing Adolescents Awareness of Youth Friendly Reproductive Health Service Available in Public Health facilities Intended to Promote Reproductive Health and Access

The study sought to assess adolescents‘ awareness of youth friendly reproductive health services in Public Health facilities. To identify various reproductive health services available in the centre, to determine youths awareness of reproductive health services, to assess youths knowledge to distinguish between friendly and unfriendly reproductive behavior, to explore strategies to improve access to and provision of youth friendly reproductive services. The study adopted the Social Cognitive Theory and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health. The study was affected by a number of limitations including, financial, language barrier and time constraints; however the researcher tried to minimize costs by taking a reasonable number of respondents so as to enable her to go with the allocated budget. The study was conducted at three health facilities namely, Infectious Disease centre (IDC), Buguruni-Plan health centre and Mnazi mmoja health centre. A total of 90 adolescents participated in the study. The researcher used questionnaires, interviews and documentary review techniques to collect data. The findings show that, the YFRHS offered in the health care facilities in Dar es Salaam includes, care and treatment, counseling, information and education and HIV testing. Currently, most YFRHS for adolescent are offered only from the clinics or government hospitals. Findings further shows that, a grand majority of respondents were aware of the available youth friendly services and reproductive health services. The researcher recommends that, in order to raise the level of awareness and access to health services, government and stakeholders should, introducing mobile service, set up smaller branches or satellite clinics closer to where young people congregate, have clinics open at times when young people can conveniently attend.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

The Open University of Tanzania

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Lutende, Agness M.

• 360 Social services; association

Language dc:language

en