Reaching Youth via Reproductive Health Courses and Youth-Friendly Pharmacy Services

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Participants attending this session will understand why approaching adolescent reproductive health via reproductive health sessions and provision of Youth-Friendly Pharmacy services for adolescents is the optimal way to change health behavior and to increase access to reproductive health information for youth. BACKGROUND Adolescents of Georgia have been ignored by policies and programs on health issues.

To address the information gaps in reproductive health of youth, the program developed a Reproductive Health Course, which is extremely popular. The courses used a variety of interactive teaching techniques, such as theatre, sports, concerts, and exhibitions, radio programs. At the same time the program developed Youth-Friendly Pharmacy (YFP) services. The goal of YFP is to increase utilization of pharmacies for reproductive and sexual health information and services and improve the quality of care provided to youth. To easily identify YFP, adolescents designed a youth-friendly logo and slogan. Posters and other publicity materials were placed where youth congregate, such as cinemas, computer centres, schools, and bus stations. Pharmacy staff was trained on youth-friendly services and adolescents RH issues. The YFP is extremely popular with youth and pharmacists, improving the knowledge of pharmacists and lessening the information gap among youth.

RESULTS Average score of pre- test of RH courses was 33 percent. Post-test score has increased to 79 percent. Utilization of pharmacies for RH information and services has increased. The program showed evidence of the need for policy change at the national level.