Preventing, but Not Caring for, Adolescent Pregnancies? Disparities in the Quality of Reproductive Health Care in Sub-Saharan Africa (Journal of Adolescent Health)

​Summary: There is concern that adolescents experience worse quality of health care than older women. Authors compare quality of reproductive health services (family planning and antenatal care) for adolescents (<20 years) versus adult women (≥25 years) in four sub-Saharan African countries.

In total, 2,342 family planning visits and 8,600 antenatal care visits were analyzed from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Senegal, and Tanzania. Service Provision Assessment surveys include observation of care and client exit interviews. Researchers compare visit content and care satisfaction for adolescents versus adult women aged ≥25.

Findings: Adolescents receive more overall family planning care activities compared to adult women, and 3.76 more discussion activities (e.g., counseling) on average, but significantly fewer discussion activities during antenatal care. However, adolescents' satisfaction with both care types was not significantly different than adult women. These relationships largely persist in country-stratified models, using different model specifications, and when comparing adolescents to women aged ≥20.

Adolescents' family planning visits are similar to, or even slightly more comprehensive than, adult women, but their antenatal visits include fewer recommended care components with particular gaps for activities requiring provider-client dialog. This suggests opportunities for strengthening communication between providers and young women, and improving care across the reproductive health continuum.
 

Read the Publication:

• Journal Article: Preventing, but Not Caring for, Adolescent Pregnancies? Disparities in the Quality of Reproductive Health Care in Sub-Saharan Africa