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| Title: | Readiness of youth in rural Ethiopia to seek health services for sexually transmitted infections |
| Author: | Molla, Mitike |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Periodical: | African Journal of AIDS Research |
| Volume: | 8 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Pages: | 135-146 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic term: | Ethiopia |
| Subjects: | sexually transmitted diseases health care rural youth |
| External link: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/AJAR.2009.8.2.2.854 |
| Abstract: | Studies pertaining to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among rural young adults in Ethiopia are limited. This study provides information on knowledge about common STIs, and the perceptions, preferences and use of health services for STIs, among youths and health care providers in predominately rural Butajira, a town in south-central Ethiopia. The authors performed a cross-sectional survey among 3,743 randomly selected youths aged 15-24 years, in 2004, and in-depth interviews with ten health care providers, in 2006. Less than 38 percent of the youths knew the common STIs. Among the sexually active youths, 3.9 percent reported having at least one STI symptom in the past 12 months, and one-half of those who had had an STI symptom did not seek care from any source. The health care providers reported that the stigma associated with premarital sexual activity, the shamefulness of having an STI, and a perceived lack of confidentiality and uneasiness with the public health services were impediments to seeking treatment in the study area. The youths preferred to consult with health care providers of the same gender who were young, friendly and had a reputation for being empathetic. Embarrassment about having an STI and fear of being noticed by a familiar individual were perceived barriers to health care seeking among the youths. The results suggest that young people are vulnerable to HIV exposure due to lack of knowledge about STIs and especially as a result of having an untreated STI. Health services that are uncoordinated and unable to handle youths' sexual and reproductive health problems, as well as judgemental health professionals and prevailing sexual taboos, are also reported as impediments to youths seeking health care. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract] |
