REACH AND EFFECTIVENESS OF ADOLESCENT REPRODUCTIVE AND SEXUAL HEALTH (ARSH) PROGRAMME IN A STATE OF INDIA: PERSPECTIVES AND CHALLENGES

Background: Adolescent risk behavior due to low awareness about risk factors related to reproductive andsexual health is a major concern. Objectives: The study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practiceregarding reproductive health matters besides awareness and utilization of Adolescent Friendly HealthClinics among school going adolescents. Material and Methods: The sample covered 3069 randomlyselected adolescents (students) from 9thto 12thstandard in various government, private and missionary runschools from two districts namely Aizawl and Champhai where ARSH programme was initially implemented.Summary: Less than 50% adolescents were aware about facts regarding nutrition. Nearly 86% girls wereusing sanitary napkins during menstruation. Knowledge about duration of safe abortion period was lessknown (16.5%). Only 46% were knowing about symptoms of pregnancy. Nearly 23% respondents wereaware about premarital pregnancy among friends and 7.5% were aware about complication due to unsafeabortion among their friends. About 10% accepted involvement in premarital sex; majority of them (70%)had premarital sex between age group 15-19 years and more than half (54%) never used condom. Theschools also lacked in organizing programme on adolescent sexual health, as only 34% had participated inany sex education campaign conducted in the school. About 18% were aware about Adolescent FriendlyHealth Clinics but 7% actually knew its location. The outreach activities undertaken by Health Worker /ASHA workers hardly included any ARSH activity. Conclusions: Better awareness and counseling againstdrug abuse, pornographic literature is needed.