The Role Of Youth Friendly Health Services In Intervention Of HIV/AIDs: A Case Of Kibaigwa Township

ABSTRACT

The study has examined, “The Role of Youth Friendly Health Services in Intervention of HIV/AIDS at Kibaigwa Township in Kongwa District”. It is recognized globally that, youth friendly health service is an important component of care including preventive health for young people. With the upsurge of sexual activities among youth and the emergence of HIV/AIDS pandemic, yet young people have remained most vulnerable group to STIs as well as HIV/AIDS infection. A sample of 97 respondents was selected in the study. Data collection employed questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, documentary reviews and observation. The tables, figures and frequency were used for data analysis. The theories relating to this study were employed to familiarize the reader. The study revealed that young people are aware of HIV/AIDS, routes of HIV/AIDS infection as well as HIV/AIDS prevention methods, and yet risk behaviors including unprotected sexual intercourse was reported to prevail among the young people. Furthermore the study revealed factors that hold back the operation of youth friendly health service. These include, shortage of clinical staff, lack of dedicated space for young people, lack of confidence among clinical staff, inflexible time of service, language barriers, unavailability of a wide range of services, unaffordable cost of service and lack of educational materials. The study recommends that, Parents should seek greater openness about sexual relationships with young people, while clinical health providers should observe the core values depicted on strategy of youth friendly reproductive health service. Moreover Ministry of health and social welfare should improve the settings surrounding the provision of youth health care as well as to implement strategies that not only focus on biomedical but also on cultural factors underlying barriers to behavior change. Lastly, the study suggests an area of further research for youth friendly health services.