Abstract
Background: Globally, two-thirds of pre-mature deaths and one-third of the total disease burden in adults are associated with problems that began in adolescent and youth. Global and national acting educational and health policies, strategies, and programs designed to promote, implement, and improve adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health services utilization should be responsive, consider the knowledge of reproductive rights and risk factors. This study assessed the level and predictors of knowledge of reproductive rights among Haramaya University students in Ethiopia.Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected Haramaya University students from March 1 to 24, 2018. A self-administered pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect data from participants. Data were entered using EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 24. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with knowledge of reproductive rights. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% CI was used to report association and significance was declared at P-value < 0.05.Results: Of 822 total students invited to the study, 812 (98.8%) respondents participated in the study. A total of 424 students (52.2%, 95% CI: 48.8, 55.4%) had an above-average level of knowledge on reproductive rights. Participants who were in the fourth and above year of the study [AOR = 2.37 (1.58, 3.54)], whose father's had higher education [AOR = 1.89 (1.27, 2.80)], who came from rich families [AOR = 1.54 (1.07, 2.21)], in the health faculty [AOR = 3.37 (2.17, 5.23)], utilized reproductive health services [AOR = 2.81 (2.21, 4.98)] and participated in reproductive health club [AOR = 1.77 (1.27, 2.47)] were significantly associated with knowledge of reproductive rights.Conclusion: Around half of the participants knew reproductive rights. In this study, lack of awareness (information) on reproductive health issues and absence of reproductive health services utilization were strong independent predictors of knowledge of reproductive rights.
Highlights
Reproductive rights are the basic rights of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing, and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health [1, 2]
Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with knowledge of reproductive rights
This study revealed that about half (52.2%) of Haramaya University students knew reproductive rights
Summary
Reproductive rights are the basic rights of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing, and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health [1, 2]. Universal access to reproductive right literacy increases opportunities for youth to have informed choice and appropriate decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive well-being, which decreases early marriage and childbirth by 11%, unintended pregnancy by 70%, unsafe abortion by 14%, and HIV/AIDS by 34% [1, 2]. Unprotected sex, sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, violence, and risky behaviors contribute to 17% of the global burden of disease in all ages. Two-thirds of pre-mature deaths and one-third of the total disease burden in adults are associated with problems that began in adolescent and youth. Global and national acting educational and health policies, strategies, and programs designed to promote, implement, and improve adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health services utilization should be responsive, consider the knowledge of reproductive rights and risk factors.
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