Omobuwa O., Asekun-Olarinmoye E. O. and Olajide F. O
Adolescent health needs, behaviors and expectations are unique and routine health care services are not well geared to provide these services. This stu dy explored the perceived reproductive health problems amongst in-school adolescents in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, determined their health seeking behaviors, assessed their knowledge of available reproductive health services and identified existing barriers to its access. In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 392 respondents were recruited by multi-stage sampling and utilized a semi-structured questionnaire for dat a collection. Most respondents lived with both parents. The mass media, especially the television and radio were found to be their main sources of health information. About two in five of respondent s (39.5%) were currently in relationships. One in four (25.5%) were sexually experienced whereas only one in ten (10.7%) had ever tested for HIV. A statistically significant association was found bet ween the respondents’ age group and sexual experience (p = 0.02). The most commonly perceived adolescent health problems included menstrual problems, unwanted pregnancy, HIV/AIDs and lack of sexuality education. Most schools attended by respondents had no health facility and the few with clinics had inadequate/unfriendly staff and inadequate drugs. Respondents’ most preferred place s of seeking healthcare were government hospitals (37.8%) and private hospitals (28.1%). Th e study showed that the adolescents had little or n o access to youth-friendly services even with their p reference for government hospitals as their place o f choice for seeking healthcare. We recommend that sc hool health services be revamped by government with the aim of improving access to youth-friendly services geared towards their identified health problems.
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