article · Asian Journal of Medicine and Health
Adolescents encounter elevated sexual and reproductive health risks due to early sexual debut, social stigma, and restricted access to supportive clinical care. A cross-sectional survey of 221 secondary school students across four schools in Ondo State, Nigeria, evaluated knowledge of sexuality education and the uptake of youth-friendly health services. The findings reveal that general awareness of sexuality education and drug abuse is low, standing at 34 percent and 35 percent respectively. Awareness of youth-friendly services dropped as low as 4 percent in certain schools, which corresponded with minimal clinic utilisation. In addition, persistent misconceptions regarding HIV transmission through casual contact were observed among the students. These outcomes illustrate considerable knowledge gaps alongside structural, sociocultural, and stigma-related barriers, pointing to the need for better educational implementation methods and more accessible adolescent healthcare services.
When young people lack accurate knowledge about reproductive health, they face increased risks of health complications and persistent stigma. By demonstrating that clinic awareness drops as low as 4 percent in schools, this research highlights an urgent need for educators and public health authorities to move beyond basic curriculum inclusion and actively deliver accessible, adolescent-friendly health services.
The findings could inform the design of targeted educational interventions, digital health platforms, and specialised training modules for healthcare providers serving adolescents. Potential users include public health authorities, educational institutions, and healthcare providers seeking to reduce service delivery barriers. As observational survey research, this work represents early-stage insight rather than a deployable commercial tool, requiring translation into practical service delivery models.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Adolescents face heightened risks related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) due to early sexual debut, limited knowledge, stigma, and poor access to youth-friendly health services (YFHS). This cross-sectional study assessed awareness, knowledge, and utilization of SRH services among secondary school students in Ondo State, Nigeria. A total of 221 students from four schools—Babcock University High School (BUHS), Wexford College, CAC Grammar School, and Impact High School—were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Findings indicate that awareness of sexuality education (34%) and drug abuse (35%) were low, awareness of youth-friendly services was considerably lower at 4% in some schools. Utilization of youth-friendly clinics was also minimal. Misconceptions about HIV transmission persisted, including beliefs about casual contact. The findings underscore significant gaps between awareness and service utilization, highlighting structural, sociocultural, and stigma-related barriers. The study recommends intensified awareness creation, improved methods of implementation rather than just integration of SRH education into school curricula, and improved availability of adolescent-friendly health services.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.9734/ajmah/2025/v23i111316
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
