Abstract
Background: A fifth of the global population is made up of adolescents. Sexual reproductive health needs for young people is largely ignored by existing health, education and other social programs. In Rwanda, there is still an increase in teen pregnancies, HIV/ STIs as well as reports on the lack of access to accurate SRH information. The study aimed to explore the perceptions and barriers toward sexual reproductive health services accessibility, availability and quality among adolescents in the second cities of Rwanda.Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted in six selected cities of Rwanda. In-depth interviews were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires among 121 adolescents aged 10-19 years old living in six selected cities.Results : Majority of the participants were female 62.8% and aged between 15-17 years old 32.8%. Females adolescents were more aware, and adolescents with primary school level 62.5% were not aware about SRH services provision at health facilities. Adolescents were mostly aware about the availability of HIV testing and circumcision services at 102 ( 86.4%). Results indicate that utilization of SRH services remains low (34.7%) among adolescents. A recent utilization of a particular service was linked to a use in the past: “I am aware of my HIV status because I was tested when I was going to receive a transfusion at a hospital” (Female participant, Rwamagana). Family, socio-cultural, religious influences and lack of privacy, high costs for the services, unavailability of some services at private facilities as well as lack of comfortable separated rooms, were the barriers reported by adolescents that prevented them from utilising SRH services.Conclusion : Accessibility to SRH services for adolescents remains low and SRH services provision doesn’t offer confidentiality to adolescents who seek services at health facilities. Family influences, socio-cultural stigma and religious barriers remain a burden to adolescents’ SRH services utilization. Increasing community outreach and adolescent’s engagement is needed to enable access to accurate SRH information. Multidisciplinary stakeholders should collaborate and cooperate to address the stigma associated with access to SRH services for adolescents.
HIV Prevalence among High School Learners – Opportunities for School-based HIV Testing Programmes and Sexual Reproductive Health Services*
