KNOWKEDGE, ATTITUDES, PRACTICES OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN MINORITY ETHNICS, THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the knowledge, attitudes, practices of reproductive health care among adolescent girls in A Luoi and Nam Dong district, Thua Thien Hue province and identify the related factors to reproductive health care in adolescent girls. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted in A Luoi and Nam Dong district, Thua Thien Hue province. All 900 adolescent girls between 10 – 19 years old of 8 communes in A Luoi and 4 communes in Nam Dong district participated in the study. Results: (i) The percentage of adolescents with not good knowledge, attitudes and practices on reproductive health care has accounted for fairly high as respectively: 86.7%, 64%, 74.4%. (ii) The percentage of adolescents who have had sexual relative were 3.8%, in which 23.5% has used contraceptive methods. (iv) The percentage of adolescents who get married early were 51.9% among adolescents who get married, the percentage of consanguineous marriage were 25.9%. (v) The percentage of pregnant adolescents were 2.7%. The proportion of adolescents with abortion were 0.1%. - There is an a relationship between education level, adolescent stage with general knowledge on adolescent reproductive health care (p<0.05). (vi) There is a relationship between ethnicity, education level, adolescent stage with the general attitude on adolescent reproductive health care (p <0.05). (vii) There is a relationship between education level, adolescent stage, education level of the mother, the condition of the family living at the percentage of general practice on adolescent reproductive health care (p<0.05) Conclusion: The knowledge, attitudes, practices of reproductive health care among adolescent girls are not good. There is an a relationship between education level, adolescent stage with general knowledge, general attitude and general practice on adolescent reproductive health care(p <0.05)There is need to enhance the communication and education reproductive health for aldolescent girls and enhance communication knowlegde and skills for reproductive health staff. Key words: adolescents, get married early, reproductive health