Title:
Factors influencing adolescents’ access to and utilisation of safe abortion services in the Upper East region of Ghana
Authors:
Aladago, David
Year:
2016
PAGE:
68
Language:
En
Subject:
Health and Poverty
Keywords:
Abortion, adolescents, abortion law, Ghana, Upper East Region.
Abstract:
About 11% of maternal deaths in the Upper East Region of Ghana is as a result of unsafe abortion. Approximately 35% of unsafe abortion mortality occur among adolescents (15-19 years). This study sought to explore and describe the factors influencing adolescents’ access to and utilisation of safe abortion services in the Upper East Region of Ghana; and to identify evidence-informed interventions in order to make recommendations to improve safe abortion interventions. This study is a literature review of both peer reviewed articles and grey literature. The ecological model, originally developed by Dahlgren and Whitehead, was adapted based on its application by Rominski and Le Tourneau to analysing abortion. The study found that adolescents had inadequate knowledge of the abortion law and services. Community and gender norms, stigma, limited availability safe abortion services, legal restrictions, poor policy implementation, poor attitude of health workers, poor quality abortion care, and user fees are common barriers. Evidence show that interventions including dialogues, advocacy, task-shifting, low-cost technology, value clarification training, staff redistribution and retention, and removal of user fees can improve access and utilisation. The study concludes that a more liberal law, together with increased availability of affordable and non-judgemental safe abortion care and shifts in community and gender norms will improve access and utilisation.The study recommends value clarification exercise for service providers; use dialogue to shift norms and stigma; addition of safe abortion to insurance package; adoption of medical abortion and manual vacuum aspiration; task-shifting and redistribution; and abortion legislative reform.
Organization:
KIT - Royal Tropical Institute
,
VU - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Institute:
KIT (Royal Tropical Institute)
Department:
Health
Country:
Ghana, Republic of
Region:
West Africa
Training:
Master of Public Health/International Course in Health Development (MPH/ICHD)
Category:
Research
Right:
© 2016 Aladago
Document type:
Thesis/dissertation
File:
uuK7CUXBsC_20170424120632842.pdf