Demelash, Habtamu (2011) Organizational Responses and Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Street Children in Addis Ababa. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.
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Abstract
Background - The lives of millions of street children worldwide are at risk because they do not have the information, skills, health services and support they need to go through sexual development during adolescence. It was time to put in place viable programmes or strategies that will ensure the sexual health problems street children are urgently addressed. But rigorous assessment has not been undertaken so far to identify whether special and street children-friendly sexual and reproductive health and HIV/ AIDS prevention and treatment services were existing in Addis Ababa. This study is therefore undertaken to systematically investigate the fit between street children’s sexual and reproductive health needs and the existing programmatic responses. Objective - This paper tried to explore to what extent the present health interventions address sexual and reproductive health needs of street children in Addis Ababa. Method-Across-sectional study was conducted among 422 street children and four service providers using a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and through individual interview. Study participants were selected using time location sampling (TLS) technique which includes different areas at different time in five sub cities of Addis Ababa. Results -At the time of the survey, most participants (72.5%) were ever had sexual intercourse (66.2% of boys, and 90.4% of girls) and the mean age at their first sexual intercourse were 15.4 years for males and 14.3 years for females. Comparing males and females, 84.3% of males and 85.7% of females tended to have multiple sexual partners. Concerned to Substance use, more than two third (67.3%) of the participants were used at least one type of substance. A history of drug use (OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.42–4.56), and being on the street for the first 1-3 years (OR = 5.9; 95% CI=1.41- 25.22) increased the likelihood of displaying sexual activity. A large proportion (64.9%) of the street children did not attend any kind of sexual and reproductive health education programs. Regarding Perceived and actual barriers, limited access to local sexual and reproductive health services, 26.5% of participants stated lack of information on available services as the biggest barrier. From the individual interview with coordinator of special clinics for street children, it was indicated that financial and networking problems were affecting the service delivery for children by different actors. Conclusion- Street children who are special high risk group, have not been targeted and hence continue to remain vulnerable and lacking in sexual and reproductive health services that cater to their needs and sexual health services are poorly advertised and delivered to them.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Vincent Mpoza |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Jun 2018 14:29 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Jun 2018 14:29 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/5402 |
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