Assessment Of Determinants Influencing Utilisation Of Sexually Reproductive Health Services Among Adolescent Mothers In Adolescent Mothers In Adekokwok Sub County,Lira District.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health is a global health concern, many adolescent are vulnerable to sexual health challenges and the most vulnerable are the adolescent mothers. The government of Uganda has put in place various efforts to address this gap both in policy and planning however, indicators still reveal that Uganda has a teen age pregnancy rate of 25%, an unmet contraceptive need among married adolescents of 32%, a HIV prevalence rate of 3.7% among adolescents (UBOS and ICF, 2017, MoH Uganda, 2012). Objective: The study aimed at establishing the determinants influencing utilization of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services among adolescent mothers in Adekokwok Sub County, Lira district. Method: The study used an analytical cross sectional study design, employing purpose sampling method to identify the study respondents. A total of 288 adolescent mothers were reached using researcher administered semi-structured questionnaires and a questionnaire guide was used to collect information from the key informants. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: The proportion of adolescent mothers utilizing adolescent sexual and reproductive health services was established at 87.5%. Marital status (p=0.001), perceived skill of health worker to provide care (p=0.036), Health worker being friendly and providing a listening ear to the adolescents (0.030), culture prohibiting use of ASRH services (p=0.025), affordability of associated costs of acquiring adolescent sexual and reproductive health services (p=0.003) were found to be statistically significant to utilization of sexual and reproductive health services by adolescent mothers in Adekokwok Sub county, Lira district. Conclusion and recommendation: The study findings indicated utilization of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services was at 87.5% and determinants of utilization by adolescent mothers included; marital status. Perceived skills of health workers, cultural influence, and affordability of associated cost. In order for utilization of sexual and reproductive health services by adolescent mothers to be improved and sustained, it is recommended that Awareness raising must be made on available services at the health facilities, capacity of health workers should be built to offer adolescent friendly services, design mechanisms within the health facilities to create adolescent friendly spaces and drug stock levels should be improved at the health facilities