Abstract:
Background: Adolescence is a time of transition from major physiological, psychological and social changes that expose them to serious reproductive health problems. The reproductive health problems in this period are preventable, if they utilize quality reproductive health services.
Objectives: To assess adolescent and youth-friendly service utilization and associated factors at public health facilities in Bole sub-city, Addis Ababa
Methods: Institutional based quantitative, cross sectional study was conducted. Study samples were taken by stratified simple random sampling technique, data was collected using structured, self-administered questionnaire from adolescent and youth friendly health service from public health centers. Collected information was entered into EPI Info 7 and was analyzed by SPSS for windows version 20. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify the strength of association between dependent and independent variables at 95% confidence intervals and P-value <0.05.
Results: Out of the total respondents, 201 (53.6%) reported that they have never used the service in the past twelve months. Of whom 121 (60.2%) were females. On multivariate analysis, the respondents knowing AYFHS (adolescent and youth friendly health service) and used a health provider as a source of information were found to have statistically significant to youth-friendly service utilization.
Conclusion and recommendation: The utilization of youth-friendly services is low in this study. Getting youth-related services information from different sources and being knowledgeable about the services have increased the utilization of the services. The service set up could be established according to the national standard to prevent the fear of being seen by parents or neighbors. Add Ababa Health Bureau and other organizations working in the area of adolescent and youth friendly health service are recommended to create awareness and AYFHS and service dimension have to be enhanced. ....................... Thesis available at ACIPH Library