Abstract:
Background: Youths are defined as persons between 15 to 24 years of age which acountes 20% of world population of whom 85% live in developing counteries. The prevalence of youth friendly service utilization varies from place to place from 33.2% in metekel zone to 69.1% in mekele in Ethiopia. However, the prevalence of youth friendly service utilization were not known at community level in Amhara region. Therefore; this study intends to determine the prevalence of youth-friendly service utilization and to identify factors associated with service utilization and to provide up to date information for stakeholders.
Objective: To assess the magnitude of youth-friendly service utilization and its associated factors among youth in Yilmana Densa District, Ethiopia.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study design was used in yilmana densa district from October to December 2018. The study population was a sample of youth in aged of 15-24 years in the selected kebeles. Stratified multistage sampling technique was used by classifying the kebeles into urban (Adet) and rural (Agita). Then, the study samples were proportionally allocated. Data were collected from a sample of 882 youth using a pretested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire by trained data collectors and supervised by the supervisor. Then, Data were entered into EPI INFO version 7.0 and analyzed by SPSS version 23.0. The level of statistical significance was declared at p-value less than 0.2 to select candidate variable and 0.05 for simple and multiple binary logistic regressions respectively. Odds ratios, along with a 95% confidence level was estimated to measure the strength of association between the study variables. The model fitness was cheked by using Hosmer and lemishow test that P-value of 0.21.
Results: Youth friendly service utilization among youths in Yilmana Densa District was 33.2% (95%C.I:30.3%-36.4%). In multiple binary logistic regression residence [AOR=0.56 (95%C.I:0.13-0.99)], source of information about youth-friendly service [AOR= 0.35 (95%C.I:0.17-0.74)], knowledge [AOR=2.19 (95% CI:1.34-3.57)], number of sexual partner [AOR=0.12 (95% C.I:0.02-0.84)], and exposure to sexual health problem [AOR=2.94 (95%C.I :1.46-5.90)] were significantly associated with youth friendly service utilization.
Conclusion and Recommendation: The prevalence of youth-friendly service utilization in this study was low as compared with the studies were conducted in Harar and Mekele. Living in urban, hearing about YFS from a health professional, having knowledge, exposed to sexual health problems, age at first sexual intercourse was significantly associated with YFS. Therefore; it needs great effort all concerned bodies to provide necessary information for youths to increase YFS utilization.
Keywords: youth, adolescent, utilization, youth-friendly service, Ethiopia