A Cross-sectional study of Reproductive Health of Adolescents aged 15-18 in Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga Province

Abstract

The study intended to obtain a better understanding of young people's current situation and need for reproductive health information and services. It also sought to identify the conditions which promote or hinder the provision, utilization and promotion of reproductive health information, education and communication campaigns and direct services. The study employed a survey questionnaire to 287 respondents from randomly selected sections of third and fourth years of the four secondary schools - private and public, located in Barangay Bulanao, Tabuk, Kalinga. The study also utilized focus group discussions with randomly selected participants and ethnographic interviews with school principals and rural health workers. The study revealed that there was no significant relationship between the respondents * gender and their reproductive knowledge. The major source of reproductive health knowledge and information were the teachers. Group sharing and discussion was also relevant to the respondents* acquisition of reproductive health knowledge. Lack of educational materials, insufficient time and teachers' inability to teach the subject matter hindered the respondents from obtaining correct and adequate reproductive health knowledge and information while unawareness of various adolescent reproductive health programs coupled with "hiya" denied the respondents from accessing and utilizing intended reproductive health services.