A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE HEALTH SEEKING AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF ADOLESCENCE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES AMONG SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN RURAL COMMUNITY

Introduction: Reproductive health may be a vital area of concern in adolescent health. However traditional Indian society regards talks on such topics as taboos and discourages open discussions on reproductive health.

Objective: This study assess the health seeking awareness and utilization of reproductive health services and determines the association between health seeking awareness and utilization of adolescence reproductive health service with selected demographic variables.

Method: The descriptive study with non-experimental research design was used the analysis and interpretation was done using SPSS version 18 and excel 2010.

Result: More than half (54.65%) adolescence boys and girls knew correctly about male and female reproductive system and more than half (46.94%) adolescence knew incorrectly about STD, contraception, pregnancy and abortion. However only (5%) of adolescence had ever used reproductive health services and majority of 74.2% adolescence had never used these services. Reproductive health knowledge was significantly associated with fathers qualification, fathers occupation and source of information. Reproductive health services utilization was significantly associated with age, class, source of information.

Conclusion: This study clearly depicted that more than half adolescents were not utilizing the services. Lack of adolescent reproductive friendly clinics, fear/embarrassment and concealed service were reasons for not utilizing the service.Fear of social value and being embarrassed, misconception of adolescents about pregnancy, unsafe sex, shortage of supply, harmful traditional practices and lack of school based adolescent reproductive health services.