Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs and Problems of Internally Displaced Adolescents (IDAs) in Borno State, Nigeria: A Mixed Method Approach

Abstract

Insurgency in the Northeastern Nigeria has left millions of adolescents internally displaced, with deplorable living conditions that affect adolescents‘ sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The aim of the study was to identify SRH needs and problems of Internally Displaced Adolescents (IDAs) and ways of improving their SRH. The study used cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 396 IDAs using questionnaire and focus group discussions. Descriptive and Chi square statistics were used to analyze data from the questionnaire, using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Results showed that sexuality education (83.2%), safe motherhood services (81.6%) and family planning services (71.9%) were important SRH needs while complications of pregnancy (83.1%), early sex experimentation
(81.8%), unsafe sex (80.1%) were among the SRH problems. Gender, educational attainment, age, religion, and marital status differed significantly (≤ .05) with sexuality education and family planning needs of IDAs. Suggested ways of improving IDAs‘ SRH include making SRH services accessible in internally displaced persons‘ (IDPs) camps.

Keywords: Boko Haram, Insurgency, Adolescents, Sexual and Reproductive Health