Exploring preferences to accessing sexual and reproductive health services: A qualitative study of adolescents' and service provider perspectives.

BACKGROUND

Understanding what adolescents want and how preferences are likely to vary among different groups is important to make the healthcare system responsive to the needs of adolescents and to maximize service utilization. Despite this, evidence is scarce in this aspect. Therefore, this study aimed to explore preferences for accessing Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services from the perspective of adolescents and health care providers in the South Ethiopia Regional State.

METHODS

A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted from September 04 to October 15, 2023. Seven Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and ten Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were conducted with purposively selected seventy-five adolescents and ten healthcare providers respectively. A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore their lived experiences. All interviews and discussions were audio-recorded. The research team transcribed the collected data verbatim and translated it into English. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

In this study, five main themes were identified. The identified main themes were preferred SRH services provider, preferred SRH services venue, preferred SRH services provision time, preferred SRH services information sources, and preferred strategies to improve access to SRH services. Regarding preferred SRH service providers, adolescents prefer males by sex, younger health care providers by age, and not neighborhood health providers by residence. Concerning preferred SRH services venue, adolescents prefer pharmacies as a venue to access condoms and emergency pills, while they prefer traditional medical centers as a source of abortion services. Besides this, schools are a preferred venue for adolescents to access SRH information. Moreover, sexual partners, close friends, and peers who experienced similar problems are the preferred sources of SRH information for adolescents. Furthermore, engagement of private health facilities, strengthening engagement of faith-based organization, and strengthening community-based SRH services provision were identified as preferred strategies to improve access to SRH services.

CONCLUSION

Improving access to sexual and reproductive health services necessitates the implementation of innovative and responsive strategies that address the diverse preferences and needs of adolescents. Prioritizing adolescent engagement in healthcare is vital, as it fosters a better understanding of their unique perspectives and ultimately enhances the accessibility and utilization of these essential services.