Care Seeking Behavior and Social Support for Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Adolescents in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Abstract

Background: The importance of caring and meaningful relationships, as well as social connections with individuals and social institutions cannot be overlooked in addressing the sexual and reproductive health issues(SRH) of adolescents. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study to assess care seeking behaviour and social supports for adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health issues. Their ability to be able to seek and find help from formal or informal sources of social support is a protective factor for adolescent health, development and overall satisfaction in life. Materials and Methods: The study populations were in and out of schools adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19, from selected secondary schools and community in Ibadan North Local Government Area (IBNLGA) of Oyo State, Nigeria, who gave their consent voluntarily to participate in the study. Results: Findings from this research work revealed that the sources of social support available for adolescent sexual and reproductive health in this study were supports from family, friends, school teachers and religious leaders. Majority of the respondents have high perception of support for SRH issues from family, friends, school teacher and religious leader. In conclusion, adolescents in this study rely more on their family for supports than other sources because of their availability, accessibility it is necessary to offer relevant information on sexual and reproductive health of adolescents to family as social support as well as other social supports outside of professional care-giving settings, to best promote the prevention and treatment of SRH problems among Nigerian adolescents. Also, future interventions by Adolescent health care providers on sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, should integrate all of the sources of social support and media to deliver evidence based health interventions.