Abstract
BackgroundVarious countries in the world have achieved promising progress in promoting, protecting and guaranteeing sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHRs) since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo. However, SRHRs have not been recognized to their maximum potential in Ethiopia, despite the domestication of the international instruments related to their successful implementation. This study was intended to determine the magnitude of SRHRs knowledge, reproductive health services utilization and their independent predictors among rural reproductive-age women in the Aleta Wondo District, Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 833 rural reproductive-age women from April to May 2019. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select households, and a structured questionnaire was used to gather the data. EPI INFO version 7 was used to enter the data, and SPSS version 23 was used for data analysis. Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between outcomes and explanatory variables. Odds ratios at 95% CI were also computed and reported.ResultsOf 833 respondents, 43.9% had good knowledge of SRHR, and 37% had used at least one sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service. Variables that had a statistically significant association with SRHR knowledge in multivariable analysis were: had formal education, household with the highest income, having information sources for SRH services, and knowing about SRH services and providing institutions. SRH services utilization was associated with: having information sources for SRH services, had formal education, household with the highest income, and knowing about SRH services and providing institutions.ConclusionIn this study demographic and economic factors, such as education and household monthly income were positively identified as independent predictors for knowledge of SRHR and SRH services utilization. Therefore, responsible government sectors and NGOs should design and implement programs to promote women’s educational status and household economic status to enhance women’s SRHR knowledge and SRH services utilization.
Highlights
Various countries in the world have achieved promising progress in promoting, protecting and guaranteeing sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHRs) since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo
In this study demographic and economic factors, such as education and household monthly income were positively identified as independent predictors for knowledge of Sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) and SRH services utilization
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, health and development initiatives including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the movement toward universal health coverage further support the realization of the reproductive health rights that were already recognized in the ICPD in 1994 [4]
Summary
Various countries in the world have achieved promising progress in promoting, protecting and guaranteeing sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHRs) since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo. Sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) are fundamental to people’s health and survival, to economic development, and the wellbeing of humanity. Reproductive rights were succinctly described at ICPD as resting on, “the basic right 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.”. One of the responses was the development of the National Reproductive Health Strategy to promote utilization of SRH services and information, reduce gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices [5]. The Ministry of Health designed a fiveyear Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP) that devotes special attention to maternal health service utilization to reduce maternal mortality through implementation of high impact interventions like antenatal care (ANC), skilled birth services and postnatal care (PNC), women’s empowerment, gender mainstreaming, abortion care, fistula care, adolescent and reproductive health care [5, 7]
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