REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AMONG YOUNG WOMEN IN APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

Reproductive health is a human right issue that has become a priority among priorities for states, nations, regional blocks and continents. The choices young adolescent girls make relative to sexual reproductive health is heavily influenced by knowledge of the subject matter and availability of services thereof. Attitudes and behaviours on the other hand are thought to be premised on knowledge. This finds mention in the policies of most health organisations and health policy institutions and the study thus researched along these lines of thinking and for that matter modelled the study around the theory of planned behaviour. The study type used was a mixed method. A cross-sectional design was employed in the study to draw responses from 255 young adolescent girls between ages 15-25 in apprenticeship training as seamstresses. Bivariate analysis was performed on DVs and IVs using the chi-square, Fisher exact test. A binary logistic regression was then performed on variables found significant to determine the extent of the predictive effect. The study finds that knowledge among girls on reproductive health was generally fair except to say that there was no much corresponding effect on behaviours. The mean score of knowledge of RHC (M꓿3.6, SD꓿1.6); given t꓿89.2 at a p-value<0.001. The logistic regression between the combined score for knowledge and attitudes was found significant (P value꓿0.032, OR꓿0.716, C.I: 0.254 - 0.94). It is the recommendation of the study therefore that efforts at providing knowledge are sustained by relevant stakeholders and besides, attention should be given to attitudinal transformative education and behaviour change communication as knowledge alone was found not to have proven sufficient for good behaviour.