article · Frontiers in Reproductive Health
In Tanzania, adolescents play a significant role in public health trends, yet unmarried youths face high risks of sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, and unsafe abortions due to the low uptake of adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services. A cross-sectional household survey involving 312 unmarried adolescents aged 15 to 19 was conducted across Morogoro Municipal and Mvomero District using a World Health Organization-approved questionnaire. The findings revealed that only 18 percent of these adolescents had ever accessed sexual and reproductive health services. Uptake was notably higher among individuals who had engaged in paid work and those with prior sexual relationship experience. Despite national policy commitments aimed at improving service access, a substantial gap remains between existing policies and the daily realities of young people. Addressing this gap requires youth-centred interventions focused on digital platforms, peer networks, and social spaces.
Low utilisation of reproductive health services leaves unmarried adolescents vulnerable to HIV, other sexually transmitted infections, and unwanted pregnancies. Understanding who uses these services, and the social factors driving uptake, helps public health authorities and programme designers tailor adolescent-friendly support. Identifying these patterns ensures that health policies translate into practical, accessible protection for youth across community settings.
The findings point towards the need for youth-centred interventions, particularly those leveraging digital platforms and peer networks to boost service uptake. While the abstract does not describe a commercial product or direct industry pathway, the research offers applied insights that could inform health technology developers, non-governmental organisations, and public health agencies designing digital health communication tools or targeted educational programmes for young demographics.
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Background Adolescents in Tanzania represent a dynamic group that significantly influences public health trends, particularly in sexual and reproductive health. Despite the availability of adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS), their utilization remains low, especially among unmarried adolescents. This potentially exposes them to risky sexual behaviors, unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. This paper examines the use of SRHS by unmarried adolescents in Tanzania and the factors associated with it. Methods A cross-sectional household survey was conducted over eight months among 312 unmarried adolescents (15–19 years) from Morogoro Municipal and Mvomero District, Tanzania. Data collection utilized the World Health Organization (WHO)-approved Cleland questionnaire, and analysis was performed using STATA 18. To identify factors associated with service utilization, bivariate Chi-square tests and multivariable modified Poisson regression analyses were performed, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results Among 312 unmarried adolescents, 18% had ever used SRH services. Use was significantly higher among those who had worked for pay (aRR = 1.98, p = 0.025) and those with sexual relationship experience (aRR = 2.27, p = 0.007). Conclusion This paper found persistently low uptake of SRHS among unmarried adolescents in Tanzania, despite strong national policy commitments to improve access. This highlights the gap between policy and the everyday realities of adolescents, shaped by work and relationships. Effective solutions require youth-centered interventions grounded in social spaces, peer networks, and digital platforms to improve service utilization.
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DOI: 10.3389/frph.2025.1623714
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