Utilization of Youth Friendly Health Services in Kerugoya and Kutus Health Centres in Kirinyaga County, Kenya

Abstract

Objective: This study aims at assessing the utilization of youth friendly health services in Kutus and KerugoyaYouth Health Centres in Kirinyaga County. Design: A descriptive cross sectional study. Setting: Kutus and Kerugoya Youth Health Centers in Kirinyaga County.Subjects: Youth aged 15-24 years who reside in Kerugoya and Kutus towns, Kirinyaga County. Results: The study showed that socio cultural factors, level of awareness and socio-economic factors were the challenges to utilization of reproductive health care services among the youth in Kerugoya and Kutus Health Centers in Kirinyaga County. Religious and cultural beliefs showed significant relationship to utilization of available reproductive health services. Mainstream media, parents and siblings had minimal contribution in educating the youth about youth friendly reproductive health services whereby the youth had to get reproductive health information from their friends. Reproductive health services not being affordable to the adolescents and the youths made the much needed services inaccessible. Conclusion: Socio-cultural factors, level of awareness and socio economic factors had a significant influence on utilization of Youth Friendly Health Services such as family planning, counseling, voluntary testing of HIV and antenatal services. Copyright: © 2022 the Authors. Published by Publisher. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https:/creativecommons.org /licenses/by nc-nd/4.0/)