Strategies for the promotion of youth friendly sexual and reproductive health services in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Adolescents and young people don’t hesitate to make any decisions pertaining to their sexual and reproductive health matters without sufficiently examining the consequences and taking precautions to protect themselves. School adolescents in Ethiopia have no adequate level of awareness and information on issues that have pronounced impact on their sexual and reproductive health matters. Their health service seeking behavior is very low. The existing health services are mal-distributed and are adult centered. Health service providers are not well equipped to provide adolescent-specific sexual & reproductive health services. The purpose of this study was; therefore, identifying risky sexual behaviours among preparatory school students and to improve the sexual and reproductive health needs of preparatory school adolescents in Addis Ababa city administration through provision of a vibrant and effective adolescent and youth-friendly SRH service strategy. A qualitative study design was employed to ascertain deeper understanding and insights about the existence of risky sexual behaviors, attributing factors, untoward consequences resulted from the behaviours. And to consult what should be done to enhance the sexual and reproductive health needs of students in preparatory schools based on the research finding. A series of open-ended questionnaires were used to collect data from male and female focus group discussants of school adolescents and from an in-depth interviewee providing adolescent related health services and teachers from the respective school selected for this study. The study has documented that, significant number of school adolescents in Addis Ababa are lacking good level of knowledge about their sexual health, they are more neglected and passive to discuss and make informed decision despite quite a lot of them are engaged in risky sexual behaviour either boldly or inaudibly. Sexual violence and offensive behaviour against schoolgirls was escalating though it was hidden and unreported. Adolescents sexual and reproductive health promoting strategies were developed based on the research findings under the corresponding thematic areas and validated by a group of qualified and experienced experts and their feedbacks have been incorporated for enrichment. In conclusion, fairly large numbers of preparatory school students in Addis Ababa are suffering from unpleasant consequences resulting from practicing harmful sex. Unprotected sex leading to unintended teenage pregnancy, attempt to terminate pregnancy usually reported to be unsafe, sexually transmitted infection, school drop out, physical and psychological abuse are among others. List of useful recommendations were also highlighted to consolidate and strengthen the strategic functions.