Comparative study on the utilization of reproductive health services and factors affecting it among students with and without disabilities in public Universities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2017-06
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
Background: Reproductive health services (RHS) and health education are fundamental human rights. However, utilization of reproductive health services among adolescents and youth is low. Particularly, people with disabilities have lower knowledge on reproductive health related issues and service utilization.
Objective: The objective of this study is to compare reproductive health service utilization and assess factors affecting it among students with and without disabilities in public Universities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Method: Institution based comparative cross sectional study was carried out in two public higher learning institutions in Addis Ababa from September 2016 to June 2017. Multi stage sampling was used to select a total of 548 respondents. The data analysis was done using STATA version 14 software. Odds ratio, 95% CI in conditional logistic regression was used to identify associated factors with RHS utilization.
Result: The RHS utilization among students with and without disabilities were 40.52% & 69.1% respectively. RHS accessibility and awareness were the main reasons for not utilizing RHS among students with disabilities whereas religious and cultural barriers were reasons for students without disabilities. Those students without disabilities were (AOR=3.11: 1.86, 5.19) times more likely to utilize RHS than those students with disabilities. For students with disabilities those who knew RHS providing facilities [AOR=4.9: 1.47, 16.2], who ever had sex [AOR=30.1: 9.6, 94.4], who ever had discussed RH issues with any one [AOR=3.59: 1.6, 7.9], who were exposed to any type of mass media in the last 12 months [AOR=2.9: 1.03, 8.1] and who had a nearby health facility as other health facilities [AOR=4.36: 1.01, 18.7] were more likely to utilize RHS. For students without disabilities those students who were in the age group of 25 and above were [AOR=5.01: 1.19, 21.2] times and those students who had ever had a girl\boyfriend were [AOR=6.65: 3.2, 13.2] times more likely to utilize RHS than those who were in the age group 15-19 years and those who had never had a girl\boyfriend respectively.
Conclusion and recommendation: reproductive health service utilization among students with disabilities is low compared with those students without disabilities. Awareness on RHS provision facilities, ever having sex, discussion on RH issues, mass media exposure in the past 12 months, availability of other HFs than University clinic were found to be significantly associated with RHS use among students with disabilities while age and having a boy/girl friend were the predictors of RHS use among students without disabilities. All stakeholders on RH working with people with disabilities should focus on awareness creation through mass media, discussion and training to increase the RHS utilization level.
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Comparative study on the utilization of reproductive