Involving village health practitioners in providing reproductive health information to rural adolescents

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Shahana Nazneen and Nizam Uddin Ahmed. Health, Population and Nutrition Sector, Save the Children USA, Bangladesh Field Office, Program Manager, Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health, House 1A (2), Road 91, Gulshan 2, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh, 88-02-8828081, shahana@savechildren.org

Adolescents constitute nearly one-fifth of total population of Bangladesh. This large population is poorly informed and under-served in reproductive health which has significant influence over their lives. Culture and issue sensitivity make adolescents' reproductive health care seeking difficult. To improve adolescents' reproductive and sexual health behaviors, Save the Children USA has been implementing Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health Program in Nasirnagar sub-district in Bangladesh, through community-based peer education, parents' workshop, facilitation of service provision, community mobilization, advocacy and use of local and mass media. A survey was conducted in 2004 among 1512 adolescents of Nasirnagar to assess their reproductive and sexual health knowledge, attitude and practices. Adolescents' facility utilization for reproductive health related information/ services is only 13.6%, for immunization against tetanus, antenatal check up and management of wet dream. Other than facilities, about 25% adolescents go to village health practitioners (village doctor and pharmacy holder) or their reproductive health problems. But most practitioners do not have any training and hence, not recognized by the govt. Since village health practitioners are rendering services to rural adolescents along with trained professionals, equipping them with appropriate knowledge and referral skills towards improving adolescent reproductive health, is a challenge. In order to aware and make them appropriate information provider rather than service provider for adolescents, orientations on reproductive health were provided to about 200 practitioners, which improved their attitudes and practices. After the orientation, more adolescents are observed to be informed and referred to facilities.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the session, the participants will be able to

1. Identify reproductive health care seeking behavior of rural adolescents in Bangladesh
2. Recognize the importance of utilizing village health practitioners for rural adolescents and apply it in possible context.

Keywords: Adolescents, Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

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