Factors influencing the utilization of adolescent reproductive health services among adolescents between 12 - 24 years attending Mityana referral hospital.

Abstract

The study was entitled “factors influencing the utilization of ARHS among adolescents between 12-24 years attending Mityana referral hospital”. In Uganda, Statistics indicate that 1 in 4 teenagers aged 15-19 are child mothers and over 297,000 cases are registered as unsafe abortions. Accordingly, a study was conducted with objectives of determining demographic factors, examining socio economic factors, establishing health system factors as well as assessing cultural factors influencing utilization of ARHS within Mityana district referral hospital. Existing literature for different scholars was reviewed with a view of identifying the agreements and disagreements therein. Using a cross sectional research design and applying Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula for determining a sample size from a given population, the study targeted 73 respondents although only 71 filled and returned the questionnaires. The results revealed that socio demographic factors such as gender, age, education level as well as place of residence are determinants of the utilization of ARHS among youths. In addition, the study also revealed that income level and knowledge of adolescent reproductive services were factors explaining the variations in the utilization of reproductive health services among youths. Furthermore, the study indicated that long distance to the nearest public health facility, lack of privacy, inadequate satisfaction among adolescents and poor attitudes by medical workers are barriers in the utilization of adolescent reproductive services among adolescents. Moreover, cultural beliefs and perceptions were also identified as crucial determinants in the utilization pattern of adolescent reproductive services among the youths. Based on the above findings, the researcher recommended active sensitization of adolescents, training more school and college peer educators to compliment the health service providers, collaborating with NGOs to create mobile clinics, increasing funding as well as making an evaluation of the current strategies on adolescent reproductive health with a view of identifying more effective strategies to address the structural problems or constraints. The researcher also recommended that future researchers should undertake research on the factors responsible for the variations in the utilization of ARHS between urban and rural adolescents, and the influence of age on the uptake of ARHS among youths.