{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T05:10:32Z","timestamp":1790745032965,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,17]],"date-time":"2024-06-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1718582400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,17]],"date-time":"2024-06-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1718582400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Reprod Health"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Adolescents in Ghana are vulnerable to unequal power relations at the personal, community and structural levels which in turn limits their opportunities in access to critical sexual and reproductive health information and services. There is therefore high unmet need for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services and the Bono East region typifies this situation, recording some of the poorest SRHR outcomes among adolescents. We, therefore, aimed to investigate the SRH needs (unmet), behaviors and utilization of SRH services among adolescents in the Bono East region.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Using a maximum variation sampling approach, this qualitative study conducted in-depth interviews and focused group discussions with adolescent boys and girls, parents, community leaders, and healthcare providers.\n<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Our findings are presented under two broad categories: major SRHR concerns of adolescents, and perspectives about that influences adolescents\u2019 utilization of SRHR services. Under the major SRHR need\u00a0of adolescents, the following themes emerged: information and services\u00a0on pregnancy\u00a0prevention, menstrual hygiene management, availability of comprehensive abortion care services, and attitudes towards adolescent pregnancy. The perspectives about the factors that influence adolescent children were discussed at multiple levels: individual\/personal. interpersonal and community\/societal.\u00a0At the individual level, limited understanding of adolescence\/puberty, desire of adolescents to belong and misperceptions about contraceptives. At the interpersonal level, issues relating to technical capacity needs of service providers, disrespect exhibited by service providers, and parental failure were identified as influential factors. Then at the community\/societal level, we identified structural constraints and compromised social safety\u00a0concerns in accessing contraceptives and services.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>In conclusion, the findings from this study offer valuable insights into the complex landscape of adolescent sexual and reproductive health in the Bono East region. The implications for policy and practice are manifold, ranging from comprehensive education to addressing menstrual hygiene, involving parents, training healthcare providers, and promoting respectful care.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-024-01822-0","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,17]],"date-time":"2024-06-17T12:02:24Z","timestamp":1718625744000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":22,"title":["Adolescent sexual and reproductive health needs and utilisation\u00a0of health services in the Bono East Region, Ghana"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Joshua","family":"Okyere","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Naomi Kyeremaa","family":"Yeboa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Charity","family":"Nikoi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Margaret","family":"Owusu-Amoako","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Listowel","family":"Ferka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anastasia","family":"Nurzhynska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joshua","family":"Amo-Adjei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,17]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"1822_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-4642(18)30022-1","volume":"2","author":"SM Sawyer","year":"2018","unstructured":"Sawyer SM, Azzopardi PS, Wickremarathne D, Patton GC. 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All the methods and procedures are in line with the Declaration of Helsinki. Before conducting fieldwork, the research assistants were trained on the ethical principles of respect, beneficence, and justice. The training emphasized the corresponding ideas of autonomy and self-determination, namely the right to access information, voluntary involvement, avoidance of exploitation, privacy, and secrecy. Additionally, we obtained both oral and written consent to participate in the study. In the case of individuals under the age of 18, we sought consent from the parents or legal guardians, followed by the child's assent. In the case of emancipated minors, i.e., teens who had assumed parental roles, we obtained personal consent. All the research assistants signed a non-disclosure agreement. The audios and transcripts were anonymized and encrypted with a password to prevent unauthorized access.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethical approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"87"}}