Assessment of knowledge on Reproductive Health and Associated Demographic and Socio-economic Factors among Adolescent Students attending Secondary School in Holata town, Ethiopia.
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Date
2021-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Reproductive health refers to state of complete physical, mental, and social
wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters related to the
reproductive system and to its functions and process.
Several reproductive health challenges confront adolescents (10-19 years) globally and are more
pervasive in developing countries where services and facilities are absent. The global burden of
sexual and reproductive health conditions can be expressed in absolute numbers: 60-80 million
infertile couples; 120-201 million couples with unmet need for contraception; 4 million newborn
deaths, 8 million life-threatening maternal morbidities; 529,000 maternal deaths, including 68,
000 from unsafe abortions. With 104 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19, Ethiopia’s high
adolescent birth rate was likely associated with the low use of modern contraceptives.
Objective: To assess the level of knowledge on reproductive health and associated demographic
and socio-economic factors among adolescent students attending secondary schools in Holata
town, Oromia special zone surrounding Finfinnee, of Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia.
Methods: School based cross-sectional study was conducted among secondary school regular
students for 2019/2020 academic year in Holata town from randomly selected classes of two
schools using self-administered questionnaire. Multistage sampling technique was implemented
and data were collected from 368 adolescents aged 15-19. SPSS version 20 package statistical
software was used to enter and analyze the data. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried
out to identify significant associations between independent and dependent variables.
Result: The mean age of the respondents was 17.4 (+/-1.262 years). Nearly 53% of them knew
about RH. The major discovery in this study was inadequate knowledge on RH among adolescents.
This makes adolescent more vulnerable to reproductive health problem, as testified by those, who
have failed to continue with secondary school due to early pregnancy. Age (OR = 3.324, 95% CI:
1.972-5.603), sex (OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.303-1.720), Marital status of parents (OR=1.826,
95%CI: 1.199-2.781), ever attending school (OR=1.308,95%CI:0.777-2.203), mother education
status (OR=1.722,95%CI:0.823-3.603), participation in school RH club
(OR=1.457,95%CI:0.949-2.239) and health institution as means of access to information (AOR
= 4.778,95%CI:1.382 ,16.517) were associated with reproductive health knowledge.
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Conclusion: Reproductive health knowledge is low among adolescents in Holata town secondary
schools. Factors like age, sex, and parents’ marital status, participation in school RH club, health
institution and friends as means of access to information about RH were the determinant of the
knowledge of RH of adolescents.
Recommendations: Awareness creation through giving reproductive health education and
increasing mindfulness for students on all reproductive health components, problems and
prevention method. Additionally, counseling and guidance services by allocating trained person
has a great importance and hence need to be given due attention along with establishing different
clubs in schools that promote sexual and reproductive health issues were some of the
recommendations suggested
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Keywords
Reproductive health, knowledge and Adolescent