INDIAN PEDIATRICS 881 VOLUME 45__NOVEMBER 17, 2008 In the National Rural Health Mission, a national strategy for Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) has been approved as part of Reproductive and Child Health Program Phase II (RCH II). This strategy should address the sexual and reproductive health needs of 230 million adolescents (10-19 years) in India. The strategy highlights the ...

BACKGROUND Adolescent pregnancy has been persistently high in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this review is to identify factors influencing adolescent pregnancies in sub-Saharan Africa in order to design appropriate intervention program. METHODS A search in MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of science, and Google Scholar databases with the following keywords: determinants, factors, reasons, sociocul...

BACKGROUND Adolescents face a range of health problems but many barriers block their access to health services, and in particular to sexual and reproductive health services. The objective of this study was to assess the health needs of adolescents in Ecuador and to draw lessons from the ways the country has responded to their need for differentiated care. METHODS We conducted a literature rev...

Adolescents account for almost one third of India's population. They are prone to suffer from reproductive and sexual health, nutritional, mental and behavioral problems. Health services which cater exclusively to the needs of adolescents are scanty and concentrated in urban areas. Adolescent Friendly Health Services (AFHS) which provide a broad range of preventive, promotive and curative servi...

BACKGROUND While many Ghanaian adolescents encounter sexual and reproductive health problems, their usage of services remains low. A social learning intervention, incorporating environment, motivation, education, and self-efficacy to change behaviour, was implemented in a low-income district of northern Ghana to increase adolescent services usage. This study aimed to assess the impact of this i...

The social, economic, and biological events that mark adolescence profoundly influence and shape future adult lives. Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, education, and other social programs are needed to support young people for a healthy start. As adolescents transition into adulthood, SRH programs and services that have skilled health providers, in combination with other social ser...

INTRODUCTION Avoiding unintended pregnancies is important for the health of adolescents living with HIV and has the additional benefit of preventing potential vertical HIV transmission. Health facility providers represent an untapped resource in understanding the barriers and facilitators adolescents living with HIV face when accessing contraception. By understanding these barriers and facilita...

BACKGROUND While adolescents' access and utilization of health services is critical for ensuring their health, very few seek care, and if they do, it is primarily from family members, friends, or other non-formal sources of care. Examining the influence of the social context on adolescent health care seeking behaviors may provide us with a better understanding for how interventions can increase...