Barriers and facilitators of nutrition service utilization among adolescent girls in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Health and nutrition service for adolescents, will serve as a future investment for breaking the cycle of intergenerational poor health. Thus, understanding barriers and facilitators for nutrition service utilization is critical to timely address malnutrition problem in this age group. This study was conducted in Wolaita and Hadiya zones, Ethiopia. A qualitative study was conducted from April 30/2019 to May 30/2019. Purposively selected health extension workers, school leaders, gender focal persons, health center experts, and youth center leaders from each village were involved in this study as key informants. In addition to this, a total of 6 FGDs were conducted. Eight adolescent girls were included in each focus group discussion. The process of analysis was conducted with open coding, identifying concepts, categories and properties/subcategories. The study was approved by Addis Ababa University (AAU), College of Natural Sciences Research Ethics Review Committee. Official letter of cooperation was written to Wolaita and Hadiya zones, and districts of health offices. The nature of the study was fully explained to the study participants. Informed verbal and written consent was obtained from each participant. The collected data has been kept confidential. Barriers for nutrition service utilization among adolescent girls were lack of awareness for study participants and their families, shortage of iron-folate and deworming tablets, lack of trained experts who were responsible for the nutrition service implementation, low economic status of the family, lack of coordination among different sectors for nutrition service, low educational status of the adolescent girls’ family. Facilitators for nutrition service utilization among adolescent girls in the study area were supplementation of iron-folate and deworming tablets was without payment. In addition, the utilization of social and community networks motivates the utilization of nutrition services among adolescent girls. Recommendation: Awareness creation training should be given for adolescent girls and their families, and male adolescent before the implementation of nutrition service provision.