Factors Influencing the Utilization of STI Services among the Youth Aged 15- 24 Years in Nabweru Sub-County-Wakiso District.

Abstract

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections are posing a problem to the world especially in Sub-Saharan Africa including Uganda. The WHO, UNAIDS and other International Organizations are making effort to increase the availability of STI services to the infected persons including VTC and STI treatment drugs. Objective: To investigate the proportion, knowledge, attitude and health facility factors towards the utilization of STI services among the youth aged 15-24yrs in Nabweru sub-county Wakiso district. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out where 224 youth who lived in Nabweru sub-county were selected using a combination of cluster, simple random and convenience sampling. A number of structured questionnaires were administered to study participants where information regarding various factors (social demographic, proportion, knowledge, attitude and health facility) leading to low STI services utilization, was collected and analyzed. Results: The results revealed that utilization of STI services among the youth aged 15-24yrs was still low 15% despite a majority of respondents 137 (61.2%) who knew where they could access the STI services. It was also found that, the youth who had heard about STIs, (59%) had low level of knowledge. Results also showed that there was Neutral Attitude (54%) towards the utilization of STIs services among the participants. Conclusion: Knowledge about STI services is still very low which is indicated by low proportion of those who utilize the services. Also neutral attitudes towards the utilization of STI services, contributes to low uptake of STI services. It is recommended that knowledge should be raised through, sensitization of the youth about STI services.