Accessibility and Utilization of Reproductive Health Information Among Secondary School Students in Chunya District, Tanzania

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to determine the accessibility and utilization of reproductive health (RH) information among secondary school students in Chunya district. The study intended to investigate the extent to which secondary school students in areas with poor information infrastructure like Chunya had access to RH information especially on the aspects of family planning and safe motherhood and the extent to which they utilized this information. The assumption was that the accessibility and utilisation of information on family planning and safe motherhood to students in rural areas might have revealed insight strategies that could be used to reduce early and unsafe sexual practices, early marriages and early pregnancies. The aim of the strategies was to decrease mortality among young people including deaths of school girls during or after giving birth. The specific objectives of this study were to: • Examine the awareness of students on issues of reproductive health in the study area; • Identify sources of information that students in the Selected area consult to obtain information on RH; • Determine factors affecting accessibility and utilization of RH inforby students in their localities; and • Propose a way forward and strategies for improving accessibility and utilization of RH information by students in the area of this study. 2 Chunya district is one of the eight districts of Mbeya region. It is in the north-western part of Mbeya region. It is bordered by Singida and Tabora regions to the north, Iringa region and Mbarali district in the east, Mbozi and Mbeya districts to the south, and Rukwa region and Lake Rukwa to the west.