Adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health information needs and barriers in Cape Town
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Date
2024
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS (Pty) Ltd
Abstract
Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) pertains to the mental and physical state of youth and encompasses their capacity to abstain from unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections (stis), including HIV/AIDS, and all types of sexual assault and coercion (Abdurahman et al. 2022). A survey of 70 developing countries indicated that adolescent girls had unmet needs related to SRH services, which resulted in unintended pregnancy and other socio-economic consequences (Woog et al. 2015). Approximately 16 million adolescent girls younger than 19 years give birth each year, accounting for about 11% of all births, with 2 million of these girls being under the age of 15 years (Bałanda-Bałdyga et al. 2020). Although these pregnancies occur across all brackets of socio-economic status and countries (Bałanda-Bałdyga et al. 2020), approximately 95% of adolescent pregnancies were from developing countries, especially in Africa (Odimegwu & Ugwul 2022). Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence of fertility among young women, and more than 82% of these pregnancies were unintended (Mjwara & Maharaj 2018).
Description
Keywords
Adolescent girls, sexual and reproductive, health information, needs and barriers, Cape Town
Citation
Holtman, N., Bimerew, M. and Mthimunye, K., 2024. Adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health information needs and barriers in Cape Town. Health SA Gesondheid, 29, p.2650.