Stakeholder perspectives on adolescent sexual and reproductive health service utilization in Uganda's Busoga region: A qualitative study

Background

Adolescents in low- and middle-income countries face high rates of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unmet sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs. In Uganda, 24% of girls aged 15-19 years have begun childbearing, yet modern contraceptive prevalence among adolescents remains low (15%). These challenges are particularly severe in the Busoga region, where sociocultural norms, poverty, and limited health system capacity hinder access to adolescent-friendly SRH services. Despite national guidelines, utilization remains low. Few studies have triangulated perspectives from adolescents, health providers, and community/religious leaders. We explored stakeholder views to provide an integrated understanding of factors influencing adolescent SRH service utilization in Busoga, Uganda.