| dc.description.abstract | Introduction: Sexual Reproductive Health services are so vital in addressing reproductive challenges among the young people aged 10-24 years globally.
Main Objective: The aim of this study was to establish the determinants influencing uptake of sexual and reproductive health services among young people in Juba, South Sudan.
Methodology: This was a cross sectional study design where qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were applied with a sample of 320 young people (10-24 years) residing in the 3 Payams of Kator, Juba and Munuki. The three payams were considered for the study because of their location within Juba City and simple random sampling was used. Six (6) SRH Service Providers from health facilities were also included in the study. A questionnaire-guide, Key Informants interview-guide and FGD-guide were used to collect data. The quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data was analyze thematically. Inferential statistic was also adopted where univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis was also carried out.
Results: Majority (69.6%) of young people interviewed were 20-24years old and (38.1%) had never went to school at all. The uptake of SRH services was low at (24.2%) among young people and less than half (49.1%) of them were using family planning education and services. Level of education among the young people (OR=5.897, p=0.006, 95% CI= 4.345-6.045), age (OR=3.098p=0.005, 95% CI= 2.098-4.907), marital status (OR=3.087, p=0.002, 95% CI= 6.097-7.453), knowledge about SRH services among young people (OR=4.964, p=0.0045, 95% CI= 8.673- 9.462), were statistically significant among the individual factors influencing uptake of SRH service among the young people.
Desire for children (OR=6.087, p=0.002, 95% CI=3.080-5.327) and income level (OR=2p=0.007, 95% CI= 1.000-2.009) were statistically significant among socio-economic factors influencing uptake SRH services. Findings also indicated that SRH Service Provider’s attitude (OR= 4.042p=0.008, 95% CI= 5.932-9.053) and waiting time by the young people (R=5.53p=0.001, 95% CI= 3.064-4.869) were statistically related to uptake of SRH services as far as health system factors are concerned.
The uptake of SRH services among the young people aged 10-24 years was low, level of education, age, marital status, knowledge about SRH services by the young people, desire for children, income level, SRH service provider’s attitude and waiting time at the facility influenced uptake of SRH services among the young people.
Conclusion and recommendations: The ministry of health in the government of the republic of South Sudan should developed adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health policy and strategy to enable young people access to SRH services and information. This should be backed by re-orientation of health care providers and existing health care services in provision of comprehensive and quality youth friendly SRH services and information at subsidize cost.
The ministry of health together with development partners should develop behavior change and communication programs for young people on SRH issues and conduct community mobilization and sensitization campaign including youth peer education on SRH issues.
The ministry of health and partners should scale up SRH services and increase coverage through outreach activities. The ministry of health should work with ministry of education to integrate sexuality education into the school curriculum and introduce school health programs in schools. | en_US |
