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. 2018 Jan 24;18(1):6.
doi: 10.1186/s12914-018-0147-5.

Adolescents' reproductive health knowledge, choices and factors affecting reproductive health choices: a qualitative study in the West Gonja District in Northern region, Ghana

Joseph Maaminu Kyilleh  1 , Philip Teg-Nefaah Tabong  2 , Benson Boinkum Konlaan  3
Affiliations
Free PMC article

Adolescents' reproductive health knowledge, choices and factors affecting reproductive health choices: a qualitative study in the West Gonja District in Northern region, Ghana

Joseph Maaminu Kyilleh et al. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. .
Free PMC article

Abstract

Background: In Ghana, adolescents constitute about a quarter of the total population. These adolescents make reproductive health decisions and choices based on their knowledge and the availability of such choices. These reproductive health decisions and choices can either negatively or positively affect their lives. This study therefore explored adolescents' reproductive health knowledge and choices, the type of choices they make and the factors that affect these choices.

Methods: This qualitative study adopted a narrative approach to qualitative enquiry. Eight focus group discussions (N = 80) were conducted among both in-school and out-of-school adolescents aged 10-19 years. The discussions were stratified by sex and studentship. In addition, nine in-depth interviews were conducted with various stakeholders in reproductive health services and community opinion leaders. Both the focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using NVivo 11. Thematic analysis was employed in analysing data.

Results: The study found that knowledge on reproductive health choices was low among respondents with majority of them relying on their peers for information on sexual and reproductive health. Having a sexual partner(s) and engaging in premarital sex was common and viewed as normal. Adolescents engaged in unprotected sexual practices as a way of testing their fertility, assurance of love, bait for marriage and for livelihood. Inserting herbs into the vagina, drinking concoctions and boiled pawpaw leaves were identified as local methods employed by adolescents to induce abortion. Reproductive health services were available in the community but received low utilization because of perceived negative attitude of health workers, confidentiality and social norms.

Conclusions: Adolescents in this study generally engaged in risky reproductive health choices that can negatively affect their reproductive health. Adolescents in this part of Ghana have challenges utilizing available reproductive health services because of socio-cultural and health system barriers.

Keywords: Abortion; Adolescents; Ghana; Health choices; Reproductive health; Risky behaviours.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethical approval and consent to participate

Ethical approval was obtained from the ethical committee of the School of Medicine and Allied Health Science of the University for Development Studies. In addition, permission to conduct the study was solicited and obtained from the West Gonja District Health Directorate. A written informed consent was obtained from parents and guardians for those respondents < 18 years of age. In addition, an assent was also obtained from the minors before the interview. However, for respondents who were ≥18 year, informed consent was obtained from them as required in Ghana [62]. Participation in the study was voluntary and they were informed of their right to withdrawal from participation at any time during the interview. Data collected for this study were anonymized by de-linking personal information from the main data.

Consent for publication

Not applicable

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Ecological model for adolescents’ reproductive health choices and factors influencing the choices [20]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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