title: ARSH 5: Reproductive health needs assessment of adolescents and young people (15-24 y): a qualitative study on 'perceptions of community stakeholders'.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the perceived reproductive health problems, health seeking behaviors, knowledge about available services and barriers to reach services among adolescents in order to improve reproductive health services for adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in three districts of Kerala and need assessment was done qualitatively using focus group discussions (FGDs), five each from all the three districts among junior public health nurses (JPHNs), anganwadi workers (AWWs), non-government organizations (NGOs), community leaders and adolescents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority of community stakeholders expressed that adolescents get knowledge regarding personal hygiene from their family itself and that they have poor knowledge about genital hygiene. Pain and associated problems are the most important difficulties faced by adolescent girls during menstrual periods. Most of the adolescents believed that excessive masturbation is a very dangerous practice. Most of the community stakeholders pointed out that though our adolescents know about HIV, they have very poor knowledge about other STIs and that parental ignorance increases vulnerability for sexual abuse among adolescents. They also suggested family life education sessions at schools and colleges for younger ones and premarital counseling for older ones, apart from counseling services and adolescent clinics. The important barriers in the utilization of services for adolescents are lack of awareness of parents, stigma to utilize services, economic factors, facility available at faraway places, and non-availability of services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The need for adolescent friendly health services and premarital counseling services in the community attached to health facilities, has been highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Child Development Centre, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 011, Kerala, South India, cdcmkc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M K C
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Leena
authors.forename: Babu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Yamini
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Thankachi
authors.forename: Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D060728:Reproductive Health; D034121:Reproductive Health Services; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult