ARSH 1: Reproductive and Sexual Health Problems of Adolescents and Young Adults: A Cross Sectional Community Survey on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice

To understand the problems faced and the difference in knowledge, attitude and practice of young people across the age group of 10–24 y on reproductive and sexual health issues and to get their suggestions regarding adolescent care services.

This cross sectional community survey involving three districts in Kerala was conducted among adolescents and young adults of 10–24 y using a population proportion to sample size technique.

The main problems faced by the young people between 10 and 24 y of age were financial, substance abuse in family, poor academic performance, difference of opinion, disease in self/family, mental problems, lack of talent, strict parents, difficulty in mingling, love failure, broken family, loneliness and problems at school/office in the descending order. As the age advances higher percentage of both boys (43.4 %) and girls (61.7 %) discuss reproductive sexual health issues among themselves. There was a statistically significant difference in personal hygiene practices like changing napkins/cloths more than once a day (94.3 %), cleaning genital organs with soap every day (71.7 %), washing after urination (69.2 %), washing from front to back after defecation (62.2 %) and washing hands with soap after defecation (73.2 %) between 10–14, 15–19, and 20–24 y age group with higher percentages in the older groups. In order to make the service more useful, more of the older group participants suggested giving information on adolescent services to parents, adolescents and society as a whole by creating better societal acceptance and keeping confidentiality in service delivery.

This study has shown an overall inadequacy in reproductive health knowledge in all age groups, but increasing knowledge gain and better attitude and practices on reproductive and sexual health as the age increases. The suggestions made by the group regarding need for adolescent reproductive sexual health (ARSH) and counseling services with privacy and confidentiality ensured, is useful for planning ARSH services under National Rural Health Mission.