Promoting the Reproductive Health of Young Adults

Young adults – that is, people in their late teens and early twenties – face special risks when it comes to their reproductive health. Young adults are at increased risk for sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy.

Young adults face barriers getting the care they need.

• Knowledge: Some young adults may lack knowledge about reproductive health. They may not know when or how often they should seek health services. In addition, they may not have the experience they need to navigate the health care system.
• Life Stage: Young adults often spend energy and attention on their education or career. This focus may prevent them from getting the reproductive health care they need. In addition, young adults tend to be mobile, often making it difficult to access consistent follow-up care when needed.
• Cost: Many young adults may worry about paying for birth control and other reproductive health services. Although some young adults have insurance coverage through their school or job, many people at this age lack the medical insurance they need. They may be unaware of publicly funded services available to them.

Health professionals can address these barriers to help youth get the care they need. Below are several recommendations for clinics to make reproductive care accessible and beneficial to the young adult population.

You can help young adults connect to services.

• Make your services convenient for young adults.
  Consider expanding clinic hours and providing evening and weekend appointments. Set special drop in times for young adult clients.
• Provide affordable services.
  Let your clients know about programs that assist with paying for reproductive health services. If these programs are unavailable, implement a sliding scale fee for services routinely used for this population, such as STD testing and birth control counseling.
• Tailor your health education.
  Use educational materials specifically geared towards young adults. Involve young adults in selecting health education materials that will appeal to them. Make health education accessible in different mediums. Consider utilizing peer health educators in your clinic. You could also create instant accessibility by promoting sexual health text messaging services or health education online chat rooms.

Take advantage of these resources.

Training Module on Reproductive Health of Young Adults

Through its Contraceptive Technology and Reproductive Health Series, Family Health International has created a module for health care providers, program directors and program planners entitled “Reproductive Health of Young Adults.” This self study module includes four sections essential to this topic.

• Reproductive Health Issues of Young Adults
• How to Reach Young Adults
• Contraceptive Options for Young Adults
• STD /HIV Prevention and Treatment

Access the online training from FHI's website.

The Source: A Peer Provider Handbook

If you are interested in launching or already have an existing peer education program for this population, CFHC offers The Source: A Peer Provider Handbook . You can use this valuable "how to" tool as a guide during client sessions at a clinic. In addition to information about birth control methods and STDs, it also includes information on:

• Consent
• Confidentiality
• Clinical Services
• Hotline & Web Resources

"The Source" is available from our online store. This handbook is an excellent supplement to the online training and should be kept in every clinic.

TeenSource.org

A great resource for teens and young adults seeking information on healthy and responsible sexual lifestyles, TeenSource.org is CFHC’s educational website for youth. Website users will find medically accurate and life-saving information on sexual and reproductive health, relationships, abstinence, and other important issues that impact youth today.