Factors Affecting Utilization of Adolescent Friendly Reproductive Health Services Among Secondary Students in Bar Dege Division in Gulu District.

Abstract

Introduction: sexual reproductive health is a physiological and emotional well- being of all human being. Adolescents undergo through consistent reproductive health problems like unplanned pregnancy, abortion, early marriage, school dropout, STI and HIV/AIDS worldwide. The main objective: was to establish factors affecting utilization of adolescent friendly reproductive health services among secondary students in Bar dege division in Gulu district. The study had five specific objectives which were, to determine the utilization; socio- demographic factors; health facility factors; health worker related factors and community factors affecting utilization of AFRHS. Methodology: The study used a descriptive cross sectional study approach which had both quantitative and qualitative methods where the qualitative method involved five focus group discussion and qualitative method the researcher administered semi structured questionnaires among adolescents age 12- 19 years was used to collect data from the two hundred and forty six (n=246) respondents who were picked by random sampling. In conclusion: the utilization of reproductive health services among adolescents is still low (33.3%) and mainly basing on the variables as noted above. To give adequate information to adolescents both in rural and urban areas through putting up more youth centers, training of health workers would be the way to improve the utilization.