Adolescent counselling service

Abstract

A project on health education and heallh services regarding human reproduction and contraception among adolescents was carried out in 1987-1988.  It was conducted by the family Planning Unit of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, with the support of the United Nations Population Fund.  The project design was a longitudinal, prospective study.  A total of 5,651 students (2,875 male and 2,776 female) from three vocational schools in Khon Kaen were recruited as the target population, ranging in age from 15 to 26 years.  For the health services, special adolescent clinics were set up in schools, in Khon Kaen City and in Srinagarind (University) Hospital.  A total of 761 students (13.5%) in the project used the services.  Seventy-five percent of the students who came to the clinics came for counselling on sex-related health matters and 25% for general health.  Males came twice as often as females.  Forty-one percent of the students requested birth control, 16.1% came for sexually-transmitted disease treatment and 9% came for counselling on unwanted pregnancies.  Fewer students living with their families (parents) came for health counselling than those living independently.