Publications

Globally, there are over two billion adolescents, two thirds of whom live in developing countries. Similarly, Ethiopia is a country of young people, where adolescents constitute over a quarter of the population. With the country on the brink of a youth bulge and looking to reap the benefits of the changing demographic structure, universal health coverage for adolescents is a priority. Achieving universal health coverage among adolescents entails identifying service barriers among vulnerable and disadvantaged adolescents to inform the health system, for action to be taken. This study aims to identify barriers to selected health services (sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information, family planning, HIV testing and counselling (HTC), and mental health services). The study specifically sought to: (1) identify barriers that prevent adolescents from using the defined health services; (2) define evidence that may help address the barriers so as to improve service use; and (3) facilitate evidence-based programming, targeting adolescents who are left behind, and ensuring that ongoing monitoring and evaluation captures intervention outcomes.