The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50227

Shabnam Shahnaz, MBBS, MPH¹, Ferdousi Begum, MBBS, MPH², and Mohammad Alauddin, PhD¹. (1) Pathfinder International, 9 Galen Street, Suite 217, Watertown, MA 02472, 617-924-7200, ghainsworth@pathfind.org, (2) Pathfinder International-Bangladesh Office, 9 Galen Street, Suite 217, Watertown, MA 02472

Today one of the most important and critical challenges facing Bangladesh is to address the RH needs of around 30 million adolescents. Adolescents are the most under-served population with regard to RH services and are at risk for a wide variety of RH problems such as STD/HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancy. In general, RH knowledge among adolescents is low. The majority are uninformed about the changes associated with puberty until they experience them. In addition, adolescent generally are uncomfortable going to qualified healthcare providers for services.

To improve the RH situation of adolescents, Pathfinder International launched a pilot project on TT immunization for in-school and out-of-school adolescents (13-19 years) in one of its rural NGO sites. The main purpose of this program was to increase full coverage of TT immunization among rural adolescent girls and women of reproductive age (15-49) and to provide an entree for them to access RH services from RSDP service delivery sites.

During the pilot stage, the target site registered 280 adolescent girls in school and 159 girls out of school. Of those registered, 40% received 3 doses of TT, 2% received 4 doses, and 1% received 5 doses (the complete schedule). Through this intervention, adolescents also have been empowered to act as a peer educators on different issues like HIV/AIDS.

A positive trend in RH care-seeking behavior has been observed. Parents and community leaders are also very supportive about the services RSDP is rendering to adolescents. Based on lessons learned, this intervention has been replicated in all 139 rural NGO sites and can also be applied to other developing countries.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to

(
• discuss RSDP’s strategies to offer a full range reproductive health (RH) services to rural adolescent girls and reproductive-aged women irrespective of their marital status, (
• identify some of the challenges and issues to increasing awareness of adolescent RH services; and (
• apply lessons learned from rural Bangladesh to other developing countries.

Keywords: Adolescents, International, Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.