Assessment of access and utilization of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services in Lagos State, 2013

Abstract

Introduction : adolescents represent a large proportion of the world population. Their health impacts on the overall health of the world as they transit into adulthood. In Nigeria, limited access to effective health education programmes and friendly sexual and reproductive health services are major contributory factors to poor sexual and reproductive health knowledge and behavior among the young people. The objectives of the study were to determine the level of awareness, access and factors that affect utilization of the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health services in the state. Method : we conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study between April and August 2013 among adolescents in Lagos State schools. Respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique and data was collected with a semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire. Test of associations was done using chi square. Results : a total of 413 respondents were selected, 226 (54.7%) were male. In all, 48 (11.6%); male 28 (12.4%), females 20 (10.7%) had had sexual intercourse. Mean age at sexual debut was 11.7 ± 3.3 years. Twenty-two (5.3%) respondents had more than one sexual partners. Twenty-eight (6.8%) had ever used condoms. Only 8 (16.7%) of those who ever used condoms, used it consistently while 18 (4.4%) had never used condoms. Twelve (2.9%) reported ever having sexually transmitted infection. Only 132 (32%) of the sampled adolescents were aware of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services in the state. Parents and teachers were the major sources of information on the centres providing the services. Only 42 (10.2%) of the respondents ever accessed the adolescent sexual and reproductive health center in the state and services accessed include HIV counselling and testing STI treatment and prevention. Factors that significantly affected utilization were awareness, cost of care and societal disapproval (p-values Conclusion : utilization of the existing adolescent reproductive and health services was low among the school adolescents in Lagos State. Awareness, cost of care and societal disapproval were found to account for the poor utilization. Mass media campaign should be engaged for improved awareness and behavioral change in the society and reduction in service fee will improve utilization of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services in Lagos State.