Abstract
Introduction Knowledge and practice toward reproductive health right (RHR) is critical to protect young women, especially school girls, from unwanted reproductive outcomes as improving access to reproductive health services. However, the majority of young people including female secondary school students in Ethiopia have very little knowledge on the youth's reproductive health rights. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge and practice toward reproductive health right among preparatory female students in Assela Town, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. Methods A study was conducted among 403 preparatory school female students in Assela Town. Simple random sampling was employed to select the subjects, and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The collected data were entered using EPI Info version 3.5.4 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was carried out. Result Sixty percent of girls discussed reproductive issues openly with their peers. About 94% of the respondents knew, at least, one contraceptive method; injectable (91.2%) was the most known type of contraceptives. Marital status, father occupation, discussion on sexual and reproductive issues, and having sexual partners were affecting the practice of reproductive health rights. Conclusions Knowledge of the students was moderate on reproductive health right which was 70%. Practice of sexual and reproductive health rights was 22.6% among the study participants. It is recommended that promotion on sexual and reproductive health right through media is important.
Highlights
Knowledge and practice toward reproductive health right (RHR) is critical to protect young women, especially school girls, from unwanted reproductive outcomes as improving access to reproductive health services
Reproductive health right is the right of couples or every person to decide freely and responsibly on their own reproductive conditions and sexuality. e 1994 International Conference on Population Development in Cairo (ICPD) gave more emphasis on improving gender equality, empowering women, decreasing violence; and controling fertility [1, 2]. e 4th World Conference in Beijing in 1995 set a declaration and platform for action aimed at equality and opportunity for women
Is study found that 94% of the respondents mentioned at least one modern contraceptive method, where injectable was the most known 91.2% method, and media 60.9% was a major source of information. is is in line with a study conducted in Dar es Salam where 97% of the respondents were knowledgeable about contraceptives
Summary
Knowledge and practice toward reproductive health right (RHR) is critical to protect young women, especially school girls, from unwanted reproductive outcomes as improving access to reproductive health services. The majority of young people including female secondary school students in Ethiopia have very little knowledge on the youth’s reproductive health rights. E aim of this study was to assess knowledge and practice toward reproductive health right among preparatory female students in Assela Town, Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. E collected data were entered using EPI Info version 3.5.4 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Knowledge of the students was moderate on reproductive health right which was 70%. Practice of sexual and reproductive health rights was 22.6% among the study participants. It is recommended that promotion on sexual and reproductive health right through media is important. A young person commits suicide, often due to problems related to sexual and RH, such as sexual violence [9]
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