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Background: Young people are challenged with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems, their SRH service is dependent on several complex and interdependent factors such as socio-cultural influences, social support structures (such as families, peers, and communities), access to health services, education, and employment opportunities.
Objective: The objective of the study is to assess proportion of Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services utilizers and describe factors associated with sexual reproductive Health (SRH) services utilizers among female students with and without disabilities in Hawassa university campuses.
Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study carried out in seven campuses of Hawassa University from February to April 2023. Multistage sampling was used to select a total of 850 respondents. The data collected using a pretested, structured, self-administered questionnaire. Variables with a p-value of <0.05 considered as factors significantly associated. Odds ratio, 95% CI in conditional logistic regression was used to identify associated factors with RHS utilization.
Result: The study showed that knowledge of modern family planning is 558(66%) 620(73.3%) of them ever had a boyfriend and 699(82.6%) ever had sexual intercourse. The current use of modern contraceptive methods among respondents were 175(20.7%), the ever use of HIV/AIDS testing and counseling and STIs diagnosis and treatment services were 290(34.3%) and 56(6.6%) respectively. For most of the respondents 518(61.2%) the university clinic is more accessible than other RH services providers, however, 252(29.8%) respondents did think that the existing SRH services are not disability friendly.
Conclusion and recommendation: The study shows 66% of students have optimal knowledge about sexual and reproductive health services, however the SRH services utilization found to be very low. This indicates that a high level of SRH knowledge is not translating into significant behavior change. Age, being new to the environment, place where students come from, religion, campus environment, sex, STIs syndromes, peer to peer discussion, socio economic status, being exposed to mass media, availability of SRH services in a student clinic have a direct link with the SRH knowledge and utilization of students. Context based SRH promotion should be carried out regularly in all university campuses through different channels including clubs, student’s forums, university clinic, and mini media..... Thesis available at Addis Continental Institute of Public Health Library |
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