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POLICY BRIEF article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Education and Promotion
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1364058

A Policy Brief: Improving Access and Utilization of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in South Ethiopia

Provisionally accepted
Negussie B. Sidamo Negussie B. Sidamo 1*Amene Abebe Amene Abebe 2Kassa Gidebo Kassa Gidebo 2Yohannes D. Wado Yohannes D. Wado 3
  • 1 College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
  • 2 School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences and Medicine, Wolaita Sodo University, Sodo, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia
  • 3 African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Nairobi, Kenya

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) is vital for young people's well-being. In South Ethiopia, adolescents face barriers to ASRH services due to limited information, cultural stigma, and inadequate healthcare. Despite existing policies, persistent obstacles highlight the urgent need for targeted reforms to ensure a healthier future for adolescents. Main Findings and Policy Implications: Research identifies barriers to ASRH services, including knowledge gaps, stigma, and limited availability. A multi-faceted approach is essential for improvement. Public education through school programs can reduce stigma, while mobile health clinics will enhance access. Strengthening healthcare with provider training and adolescent-friendly clinics will improve service quality. Engaging families and communities will create supportive environments, and skills-building programs will empower adolescents to make informed health decisions, enhancing health outcomes.

    Keywords: policy brief, access, utilization, sexual and reproductive health services, adolescents, comprehensive sexuality education, Ethiopia

    Received: 18 Jan 2024; Accepted: 04 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Sidamo, Abebe, Gidebo and Wado. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Negussie B. Sidamo, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.