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. 2022 Jul 30;19(1):169.
doi: 10.1186/s12978-022-01477-9.

Factors associated with knowledge about family planning and access to sexual and reproductive health services by sexually active immigrant youths in Hillbrow, South Africa: a cross-sectional study

Nkechi Obisie-Nmehielle  1 , Ishmael Kalule-Sabiti  2 , Martin Palamuleni  2
Affiliations

Factors associated with knowledge about family planning and access to sexual and reproductive health services by sexually active immigrant youths in Hillbrow, South Africa: a cross-sectional study

Nkechi Obisie-Nmehielle et al. Reprod Health. .

Abstract

Background: In South Africa, universal access to health care services, including those relating to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care, is contained in Section 27 of the Constitution and commits the country to supporting the United Nations 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with knowledge about family planning and access to SRH services among sexually active immigrant youths in Hillbrow, South Africa.

Method: This cross-sectional study was based on data from a household survey conducted in Hillbrow during December 2019. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect information from immigrant youths (18-34 years old). Data on 437 sexually active respondents was analysed in STATA 14 using univariate, bivariate, logistic, and multinomial regression models. A p-value of < 0.05 was chosen as the level of significance.

Results: About half of the respondents had poor knowledge about family planning; about one-third (35%) of the immigrant youths had no access to SRH services, 42% had some access, and 23% had access. The adjusted logistic regression model showed that being a female (AOR = 3.85, CI: 2.34-6.35, belonging to age group 30-34 years (AOR = 3.88, CI: 2.00-7.53); belonging to the rich wealth index (AOR = 2.55 (1.32-4.93); not having received information about family planning (AOR = 0.17, CI = 0.10-0.29) and not using a contraceptive at the time of the survey (AOR = 0.37, CI: 0.19-0.70) were factors associated with having knowledge about family planning. The adjusted multinomial regression shows that the factors associated with not having access to SRH services were secondary or higher level of education (ARRR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.06-3.36), belonging to the rich wealth quintile (ARRR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.00-5.07), being undocumented (ARRR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.27-0.88), having experienced discrimination in Hillbrow (ARRR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.15-3.67) and having received information about family planning 6 months prior to the survey (ARRR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.26-0.90, p-value < 0.05).

Conclusion: To move towards realization of the Constitution of South Africa, achieve the SDGs, and curb associated negative SRH outcomes, there is a need to advocate for the implementation of universal access to SRH services that is inclusive of immigrant youths.

Keywords: Access to SRH services; Cross-sectional study; Family planning; Hillbrow; Immigrants; Knowledge; Sexual and Reproductive Health; South Africa; Youths.

Plain language summary

Access to SRH services by adolescents and youths has been a serious public health concern globally. In South Africa, universal access to health care including reproductive health care services is contained in Sect. 27 of the Constitution. The country is committed to the 2030 Agenda of the SDGs with the theme “leaving no one behind”. The objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with knowledge about family planning and access to SRH services among sexually active immigrant youths in Hillbrow, South Africa. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect information on the socio-demographic, migration, and reproductive health characteristics from 439 sexually active immigrant youths in Hillbrow during December 2019. The data were analysed to assess the factors associated with knowledge about family planning and access to SRH services. The findings show that 46% of the immigrant youth had poor knowledge about family planning, while 35% had no access to SRH services, 42% had some access and only 23% had access. The study showed that the factors associated with knowledge about family planning are female respondents, from the rich income group, those in the older age category, those who received information about family planning 6-months prior to the survey and those using a contraceptive at the time of the survey. The factors associated with having no access to SRH services were those respondents having completed secondary education and higher, from the rich income group, undocumented immigrants, those respondents having experienced discrimination in Hillbrow, youths not having received information about family planning prior to the survey, and those not using a contraceptive. It is important to make access to SRH services available to immigrant youths to prevent associated negative SRH outcomes among the youths.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of sampling technique
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Sources of information about sexual and reproductive health issues by gender
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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