CHALLENGES FACING ACCESS TO SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE SERVICES AMONG STUDENTS OF CHUKA UNIVERSITY
Abstract
Purpose: Reproductive health is essential component of public health and can considerably influence the quality of life. No previous studies had been carried out to establish status of access to these crucial services amongst the students in Kenyan universities. However, studies from other universities in other parts of the world and Africa highlighted numerous issues impending access to these crucial services. The study aimed to determine the challenges facing access to sexual reproductive services among students of Chuka University.
Methodology: It adopted a descriptive cross-section research design.
Findings: The results revealed that religion played a key role in impending access to reproductive health services among the respondents, with 72% reporting to have been prohibited from seeking reproductive health services.
Conclusions and Recommendation: The study concluded that the students continue to face various challenges, in effort to access reproductive health services which include unavailability of services required by the students, long waiting time, judgmental attitudes between students, parents and the service providers, service providers who lack knowledge on how to provide services to the youths and finally prohibitive cost for some services which is beyond the student means. It was recommended that peer to peer groups to be formed and among these groups peer educators to be identified trained on health education on reproductive health, condom distribution and identification of reproductive health needs and referral for further management.
Key words: Challenges, access, sexual reproductive services, University students
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