FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ADOLESCENTS HEALTH SEEKING
BEHAVIOUR
A CASE OF ABITING PARISH APALA SUB-COUNTY ALEBTONG DISTRICT.
BY
ONGOM HORRISH
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 16/U/0155/LCP/PS
A RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITED TO THE FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCE
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF AWARD FOR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY OF LIRA UNIVERSITY
JUNE 2019
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DECLARATION
I Ongom Horrish do declare that this research proposal titled “examining the factors
contributing to poor adolescents health care seeking behaviors; experiences of adolescents in
Abitting Parish, Apala Sub-County, Alebtong District” is my original work and to the best of
my knowledge and understanding, it has never been submitted to any University or any other
institution of higher learning for the award of degree or a diploma. All sources I have consulted
are duly acknowledged.
Signature…………………………………………Date…………………………………
Ongom Horrish
16/U/0155/LCP/PS
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APPROVAL
This is to certify that this research proposal titled, “Examining the factors contributing to poor
adolescent health seeking behaviors; experiences of adolescents in Abitting Parish, Apala SubCounty, Alebtong District” has been done under my supervision and is now ready for
submission to the head of department of mental health for examination.
Signature……………………………………….Date………………………………………….
Prof. J.C.ENON
ii
DEDICATION
This special research proposal is dedicated to my beloved parents Mr. Onyilo David and Mrs
Teddy Onyilo, my brother Ocen Joshua, my wife Mrs Joyce Ongom, my sisters Elizabeth Ruth
and Alali Immaculate and also my friends for the assistance and advice they availed to me and
lastly to my academic supervisor Prof. J. C. Enon.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to my supervisor Prof. J.C ENON for the contribution,
assistance and guidance he rendered to me toward this study.
I am also very grateful to the entire staff at the department of mental health of Lira University
for the advice and support they have rendered to me during gathering of information,
knowledge and the discussion.
I am also thankful to my friends Jenifer, Nelson, Caleb, Holger Zena, Brenda, Lawrence, and
others for their moral support they gave to me.
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 4. 1: Showing gender distributions of respondents ............................................................. 16
Table 4:2 showing the ages of the respondents ............................................................................ 17
Table 4:3 showing marital status of respondents ................ Ошибка! Закладка не определена.
Table 4: 4 showing education level of the respondents ................................................................ 17
Table 4: 5 showing responses on favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors
among adolescence. ...................................................................................................................... 18
Table 4: 6 showing responses on the limitation factors contributing to health care seeking
behaviors among adolescence. ...................................................................................................... 19
Table 4: 7 showing responses on the measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking
behavior of adolescence. ............................................................................................................... 21
Table 8 showing the work plan of the study ................................................................................. 32
Table 9 showing the work plan of the study ................................................................................. 32
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 showing the conceptual framework .................................................................................. 7
Figure 4:1 showing the gender of the respondents ....................................................................... 17
Figure 4:2 Bar graph showing the marital status of the respondentsОшибка! Закладка не определена.
vi
TABLES OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i
APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................... ii
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................. iv
LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... v
LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... vi
ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................................. x
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………..……………….…xi
CHAPTER ONE: ........................................................................................................................................ 1
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................... 1
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background of the study ........................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Problem statement ..................................................................................................................... 3
1.3 Objectives of the study.............................................................................................................. 4
1.3.1 General objective ................................................................................................................... 4
1.3.2 Specific Objectives of the study ............................................................................................ 4
1.4
Research Questions .............................................................................................................. 4
1.5 The scope of the study .............................................................................................................. 4
1.5 .1 Geographical scopes: ............................................................................................................ 4
1.5.2 Time scope ............................................................................................................................. 5
1.5.3
1.6
Content scope ................................................................................................................... 5
Significance of the study...................................................................................................... 5
1.7 Conceptual framework. ............................................................................................................. 6
CHAPTER TWO: ....................................................................................................................................... 8
LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................................... 8
2.0
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 8
2.1 Health seeking behavior: Theoretical approaches. ................................................................... 8
vii
2.1 Health seeking behavior of Adolescents: Global situation. ...................................................... 9
2.6 Health seeking behavior. ......................................................................................................... 11
2.7 Summary of the literature review. .......................................................................................... 12
CHAPTER THREE:................................................................................................................................. 13
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................ 13
3.0 Introduction. ............................................................................................................................ 13
3.1 Research design. ..................................................................................................................... 13
3.2 Study area................................................................................................................................ 13
3.3 Study population ..................................................................................................................... 13
3.6 Instruments/measures to be used in data collection. ............................................................... 14
3.6.1 Questionnaires...................................................................................................................... 14
3.6.2 In-depth interviews .............................................................................................................. 14
3.6.4 Sampling procedure ............................................................................................................. 15
3.7 Procedure ................................................................................................................................ 15
3.9 Limitations and Delimitations of the study. ............................................................................ 15
CHAPTER FOUR..................................................................................................................................... 16
DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATION................................................................ 16
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 16
4.1 Background information of the respondents ........................................................................... 16
4.1.1 Gender of the respondent ..................................................................................................... 16
4.1.2 Age of the respondents......................................................................................................... 17
4.1.3 Marital status of respondent ....................................... Ошибка! Закладка не определена.
4.1.2.4 Education level of respondents ....................................................................................................... 17
4.2 Findings on the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors among
adolescence. .................................................................................................................................. 18
4.3 Findings on the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence. ....... 19
4.4 Findings on the measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of
adolescence. .................................................................................................................................. 21
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CHAPTER FIVE ...................................................................................................................................... 22
SUMMARY OF STUDY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS...................................... 22
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 22
5.2 Summary of the findings ......................................................................................................... 22
5.2.1 Summary on the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors among
adolescence. .................................................................................................................................. 22
5.2.2 Summary on the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence. ... 23
5.2.3 Summary on the measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of
adolescence. .................................................................................................................................. 23
5.3 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 23
5.3.1 Conclusion on the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors among
adolescence. .................................................................................................................................. 24
5.3.2 Conclusion on the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence.Ошибка! Закл
5.3.3 Conclusion on the measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of
adolescence. ........................................................................ Ошибка! Закладка не определена.
5.4 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 25
5.5 Suggestions for Further Research ........................................................................................... 25
APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................. 28
APPENDIX I: QUESTIONAIRES ............................................................................................... 28
Appendix II: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND PUPILS. ......................................... 31
APPENDIX III: WORK PLAN OF THE STUDY ....................................................................... 32
APPENDIX IV: BUDGET OF THE STUDY .............................................................................. 33
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ACRONYMS
AIDS
:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
ASRH
:
Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
BDHS
:
Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey
BRAC
:
Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee
FHI
:
Family Health International
FLE
:
Family Life Education
HIV
:
human immunodeficiency virus
IEC
:
Information, Education, Communication
NESDP
:
National Economic and Social Development Plan
NGO
:
Non-Government Organization
PAHO
:
Pan American Health Organization
PHC
:
Primary Health Care
RTI
:
Reproductive Tract Infection
SRH
:
Sexual and Reproductive Health
STI
:
Sexually Transmitted Infection
TARSHI
:
Talking About Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues
UNICEF
:
United Nations Children’s Fund
VCT
:
Voluntary Counseling and Testing
WHO
:
World Health Organization
HIV
:
Human Immune deficiency Virus.
HND
:
Higher National Diploma.
HSB
:
Health Seeking Behaviour.
IBM
:
International Business Machines.
x
ABSTRACT
The study was to examine the factors contributing to adolescent health seeking behaviors;
experiences of adolescence in a rural community in Abiting Parish, Apala Sub County Alebtong
District and the study was inline the specific objectives like determining the favorable factors
contributing to health care seeking behaviors among adolescence, identifying the limitation
factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence and investigating measures that can
be undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub
County Alebtong District.
This study used a cross sectional study design of both qualitative and quantitative data. Crosssectional study design is that research design used for measuring differences between varieties
of several data. It was majorly used for getting different views from different groups. The
research was conducted in Abitting parish, Apala Sub-County, Alebtong District, the study
group of about 50 participants was randomly selected and interviewed and they were
comprising of key stake holders such as parents, adolescence, NGOs dealing with children and
youths, Clinical officer.
The study concluded that relocating services to reach adolescents contributes to health care
seeking behaviors among adolescence and that availability of adolescent health seeking services
favors the adolescents to seek the health care services as they won’t be experiencing many costs
in transport and low cost of health services regarding adolescence as favorable factor towards
adolescent health seeking behavior and it also concluded that use of peer promoters can be
undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of adolescence and that relocating service to
reach adolescents can be undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of adolescence and also
that outreach workers or community health promoters plays a very important role in promoting
adolescent health seeking behaviors..
Finally the study recommends that tight policies should be put in place to address the issues
adolescent seeking behaviors among adolescents and there is much work needed to form a
consensus about what “help-seeking” is, how to measure and evaluate it, how to promote it and
how to promote positive use of both informal and formal sources of support.
xi
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
This study investigated the factors contributing to adolescent health in Abiting village Apala
Sub County Alebtong District. It was carried out in the partial fulfillment for the award of
bachelor degree in community psychology and psychotherapy of Lira University. The study
covered a period of 10 months beginning from September 2019 to July 2019. This Chapter
looked at the information on the background of the study, statement of problem, significance
of the study, research objective, research questions and the scope of the study.
1.1 Background of the study
Adolescence is widely defined as the time in life when the developing individual attains the
skills and attributes necessarily to become a productive and reproductive adult. Nearly all
cultures recognize a phase in life when society acknowledges these emerging capacities of
young people. What varies considerably by culture and context is whether the passage from
childhood to adulthood is a direct and short passage, or whether there is a prolonged
adolescence marked by a choice of identities and roles.
While most of the world’s adolescents make it through the period with no major problems,
even those adolescents who have no significant personal problems or acute health-care needs
have normative stresses and needs for help, support and orientation associated with making
the transition from childhood to adulthood. In some parts of the world, research suggests that
the normative tasks of adolescence are becoming more difficult in light of reduced social
control by families, more varied opportunities(leading to greater confusion), increased
individualism and declining importance of traditional cultural norms (Frydenberg, 1997).
Programmers in South-East Asia consulted for this document reported that changes in the
social structure and the economy including increases in educational attainment, increasing
urbanization and increased modern-sector employment opportunities for young women– have
led to a weakening of traditional familial support. These changes are often cited as the causes
of increasing rates of psychological problems such as family crises, emotional/identity crises
and substance use. In addition, some adolescent health staff consulted for this document
1
argue that increasing job insecurity in a globalizing economy means that adolescents have
expanding normative needs for assistance in continuing with their education, newer and more
diversified job training, and enhanced services related to sexuality and reproductive health –
particularly given later ages at marriage and earlier sexual activity. Fatimi Z, Avan ( 2002)
Around the world, adolescence is a time of opportunities as well as vulnerabilities to risk
associated behaviors that can have lifelong consequences for health and well-being.
Numerous World Health Organization (WHO) consultations and studies have confirmed the
importance of caring and meaningful relationships, as well as pro-social connections with
individuals and social institutions, reducing risks and promoting healthy and positive
developmental outcomes. Many researchers, and various WHO documents, have also called
for more attention to and more research on where, why and how adolescents seek health (i.e.
their health-seeking behavior) and the sources of and nature of health services available to
them in their specific contexts (i.e. social supports).
Before proceeding, it is important to define the terms that frame this document, particularly
“health-seeking behavior” Kiguli J, (2009). There are few specific, agreed upon definitions of
“health-seeking behavior” in the adolescent health and development literature. Healthseeking behavior has been defined as a “sequence of remedial actions that individuals
undertake to rectify perceived ill-health.” In particular, health-seeking behavior can be
described with data collected from information such as the time difference between the onset
of an illness and getting in contact with a healthcare professional, type of healthcare provider
patients sought help from, how compliant patient is with the recommended treatment, reasons
for choice of healthcare professional and reasons for not seeking help from healthcare
professionals.
In only a few cases in the literature is the term “health-seeking” used in a more
comprehensive way to refer to the use of both formal supports and informal supports, which
we argue includes family, kinship networks, friends, traditional healers and/or religious
leaders?
The health seeking behavior of a community determines how health services are used and in
turn the health outcomes of populations. Factors that determine health behavior may be
physical, socio-economic, cultural or political. Indeed, the utilization of health care services
may depend on educational levels, economic factors, cultural beliefs and practices. Other
factors include environmental conditions, socio-demographic factors, and knowledge about
the facilities, gender issues, political environment, and the health care system itself.
2
A key determinant for health seeking behavior is the organization of the health care system in
many health systems, particularly in developing countries such as Uganda, illiteracy, shows
that poverty has led to underfunding of the health sectors, inadequate water and poor
sanitation facilities have a big impact on health indicators. In addition, cost of services,
limited knowledge on illness and wellbeing, and cultural prescriptions are a barrier to the
provision of health services. These challenges, which are significant in Uganda's health
system, affect the health seeking practices of communities. Alti-Muazu M, (2009).
Most adolescent health problems are related to behavioral and lifestyle issues, which the
literature consistently confirms are more influenced by the social setting than by health
providers or other professional service providers. Furthermore, research from around the
world suggests that 90–90% of childhood diseases are treated at home or outside the formal
health care system, a pattern that likely continues into adolescence. This highlights even more
the need to examine health-seeking more broadly than within the formal health care system.
1.2 Problem statement
WHO (2011), there is a significant difference in access to various health care providers
between the elderly and the adolescence. Although self-care and use of traditional healers is
categorized under health care, these are often discouraged by health practitioners, with the
emphasis on encouraging people to opt for conventional channels with medically trained
personnel. The adolescence that are mainly concentrated in rural areas in Uganda, are the
most affected by health system challenges. The Government of Uganda under the Ministry of
Health has increased the number of health facilities throughout the country in recent years.
However, there are still disparities between urban and rural areas, as well as by geographic
location therefore certain adolescence have more access to health services than others. The
lack of public facilities in some communities, which are predominantly used by the
adolescence, is likely to affect the health seeking practices of the adolescents (UNICEF data
2016). Most studies on health seeking behavior in Uganda have been discussed specifically
adolescent health seeking behaviors; experiences of adolescence have been neglected.
Therefore, limited knowledge is available on adolescent health seeking behaviors including
problems faced in pursuit of health services. The purpose of the study was to examine the
factors contributing to adolescent health seeking behaviors; experiences of adolescence in a
rural community in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
3
1.3 Objectives of the study
1.3.1 General objective
The purpose of the study was to examine the factors contributing to adolescent health seeking
behaviors in Abiting Parish, Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
1.3.2 Specific Objectives of the study
i.
To determine the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors
among adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
ii.
To identify the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
iii.
To investigate measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking
behavior of adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
1.4 Research Questions
i.
What are the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District?
ii.
What are the limitation factors that influence health care seeking behaviors of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District?
iii.
What are measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking behaviors of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District?
1.5 The scope of the study
The scope of the study was presented in three distinct sub themes as provided below.
1.5 .1 Geographical scopes:
The study was conducted in Abiting Parish, one of the parishes in Apala sub-county, Abiting
Parish is bordered by Olaoilongo Parish in the south, Okwangole Parish in the west, Atinkok
Parish in the north and Akura Sub-county in the east. The parish is found in Apala Subcounty, Alebtong District northern Uganda. Abiting Parish covers an area of about 9.7 square
kilometer with six villages which include: apanyapany, Erii, akuki, Abungenga, Okeda and
abiting with population of around 3994 as per national population census of 2014 (men1767
4
and women 2127). The area was chosen for the study because it was highly affected by the
LRA war in northern Uganda making the social life status in the area very diverse.
1.5.2 Time scope
This study made a review of five years period and this covered the period from 2012 to 2017
and this was on the limitation factors, measures and mechanisms of improving health care
seeking behaviors of adolescents in Alebtong district. The study took a period of six months
that is, from November 2019 to June 2019 and the researcher believe that this period was
convenience for generation of proposal, data collection and analysis as well as writing the
research report.
1.5.3 Content scope
The study focused on the limitations, measures to improve health care seeking behaviors of
adolescents in Alebtong district and the research participants were Community members,
teachers, Adolescents, parents, NGO staff and Clinical officers within apala Sub-County. The
researcher focused on examining the factors contributing to adolescent health seeking
behaviors; experiences of adolescence in a rural community in Abiting Parish Apala Sub
County Alebtong District. The study focused on the predisposing factors influencing health
seeking behavior of adolescence, enabling factors of health care seeking behavior of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District and investigating the
measures that can be undertaken to improve health care seeking behavior of adolescence in
Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
1.6 Significance of the study
 Adolescence, which broadly means the teenage years, has many manifestations. It
refers to the development period between childhood and adulthood during which a
number of dramatic physical changes and important emotional and social
developments take place.
 This period can be difficult and confusing, and can therefore create a lot of fear and
anxiety to the adolescent, parent and the community. These circumstances make
adolescents vulnerable with regard to making reasonable decisions about their life,
values and sexuality. The ability to make rational decisions and act on them is critical
to healthy adolescent development.
 The goal of this strategy is to improve the quality of life and well-being of young
people in Uganda.
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 This will be achieved by creating an enabling policy environment and legal
framework that will facilitate adolescent health and development programmes. The
attainment of the goal will also be achieved by increasing young people’s‟ access,
participation and utilization of innovative, integrated, high-quality services and
programmes. Promotion of positive attitudes and behavior change in communities and
among parents and young people will be encouraged.
 It is my sincere hope that this document will serve as a reference tool to guide the
Government, NGOs, the private sector, young people themselves, parents and
development partners and other stake holders in the implementation of programmes
that concerns adolescents.
1.7 Conceptual framework.
Health seeking behavior can occur for both actual and potential problems. When it occurs for
actual problems, it is called illness behavior and when it occurs for potential problems, it is
called health behavior (Babitsch et al., 2012). This study will utilize the Andersen behavioral
model, figure 1 to explore health seeking behavior of Adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala
Sub County, Alebtong District. This conceptual framework best helps understand human
behavior in relation to health care utilization.
The framework is comprised of one dependent variable, health seeking behavior and three
interrelated groups of independent variables: predisposing factors, enabling factors and need
factors. The dependent variable; health seeking behavior is the utilization of health services to
avert negative health, thus called health behavior or the utilization of health services to
restore optimal health, thus called illness behavior for the purpose of achieving constructive
and purposeful engagement in life events of the adolescents. The three independent variables
interact in a complex way to create a triadic space within which health care utilization exists.
This trust- psychosocial- geographic space is the continuum within which health is pursued,
enjoyed and maintained through health seeking behavior.
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Figure 1 showing the conceptual framework
Independent variables.
Dependent variable
Limitation factors: age,
gender, religion, occupation,
education, social networks and
support, qualification.
Health seeking Behavior.
 Health behavior.
Favorable factors: Income,
health insurance, availability
and access to services,
confidentiality, satisfied with
self care, workload.

Illness behavior
Need factors: general health
status, worries about health,
future health perception, illness
severity.
Figure 1 Conceptual framework; Source: Adapted from Andersen and Newman, (1995)
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CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This chapter reviewed the related literature on the subject under study. This includes
identifying the predisposing factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence,
determining the enabling factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence and
investigating the need factors that shape health seeking behavior of adolescence in Abiting
Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
2.1 Health seeking behavior: Theoretical approaches.
Health seeking behavior has been studied extensively. Several theories have been utilized in
health seeking behavior studies (Ricketts & Goldsmith, 2005; Hausmann et al., 2012). An
overview of the theories is presented here.
The health belief model, developed by G.M. Hochbaum in 1959, has four constructs;
perceived seriousness of the disease, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and
perceived barriers (Taylor, D et al., 2006), which in combination can be used to explain
health seeking behavior. The greater the seriousness of the disease, the more the person will
change behavior or will seek treatment (Cockerham et al., 2014).
Theory of reasoned action developed in 1975 by Fishbein and Ajzen proposes that a person’s
health behavior is determined by his intention to perform the health behavior. This intention
is itself determined by the person’s beliefs, attitudes, norms, intentions and his perception of
how significant others approve of or otherwise of the behavior. The theory of “four A’s”
addresses the availability, acceptability, affordability and accessibility of health services
(Glanz et al., 2009).
Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs theory intimates that individuals always aim to attain a
higher level of satisfaction other than their currency. In the continuum of health, people are
always seeking to attain a higher level of well being by engaging in behavior that does not
threaten the comfort of good health. The motivation Hygiene theory by Frederick Herzberg
identifies two factors that influence satisfaction. He observes that humans have needs that
emphasize on avoidance of loss of life, hunger, pain and other fears and those that compel the
individual to realize his potential. It is in this quest to avoid life fears that people look for
motivators for good health (Miner, 2005).
8
McClelland’s theory of needs asserts that an individual’s specific needs are a function of time
and experience. He views needs as a function of achievement, affiliation and power.
Individuals tend to avoid low and high risk situations that may destabilize them. McClelland
did not look at hierarchy as a concept but saw the needs as occurring simultaneously. He
placed emphasis on achieving needs positing that individuals with high need of achievement
have five distinguishable characteristics; responsibility for finding solutions to difficulties, a
preference for immediate feedback on performance, avoidance of easy attainable and highly
difficult goals, enjoyment of challenging yet achievable tasks and preference for intangible
e.g. knowledge or health as opposed to tangible e.g. money rewards (Friend, 2010).
The purpose of presenting the above theory review is to highlight the amount of research that
has gone into theorizing health seeking behaviour. The Andersen’s Health Care Utilization
model suggests that predisposing factors, enabling or impeding to use factors and their need
for care determine health care use.
2.1 Health seeking behavior of Adolescents: Global situation.
Accordingly, we propose the following definition for adolescent help-seeking behavior. This
definition is based in part on the literature on adolescents and coping behavior (frydenberg,
1997) and to a limited extent on literature on health-seeking behavior (ward et al., 1997). For
the purpose of this document, we propose defining help-seeking as: any action or activity
carried out by an adolescent who perceives herself/himself as needing personal,
psychological, affective assistance or health or social services, with the purpose of meeting
this need in a positive way. This includes seeking help from formal services for example,
clinic services, counselors, psychologists, medical staff, traditional healers, religious leaders
or youth programmers’ as well as informal sources, which includes peer groups and friends,
family members or kinship groups and/or other adults in the community.
The “help” provided might consist of a service (e.g. a medical consultation, clinical care,
medical treatment or a counseling session), a referral for a service provided elsewhere or for
follow-up care or talking to another person informally about the need in question. We
emphasize addressing the need in a positive way to distinguish help-seeking behavior from
behaviors such as association with anti-social peers, or substance use in a group setting,
which a young person might define as help-seeking or coping, but which would not be
considered positive from a health and well-being perspective.
9
We propose three categories of adolescent help-seeking behaviors:
1. help-seeking for specific health needs, including health services (in the formal health care
system or from traditional healers and pharmacists), as well as seeking health-related
information. This is generally called health-seeking behavior.
2. help-seeking for normative developmental needs, including help in completing school, or
help related to vocational orientation/training, or employment-seeking; relationship formation
and concerns; understanding the changes associated with sexuality or puberty; and/or other
concerns that are frequently associated with adolescence.
3. help-seeking behavior related to personal stress or problems, as in the case of family crises;
family violence or victimization by abuse; relationship stresses; acute financial needs;
homelessness; and/or needs or problems related to chronic or acute ill-health.
These are specific, problem-related to psychosocial needs that go beyond the normative needs
of young people.
It is important to highlight from the start that help-seeking and having access to and using
social supports are generally protective factors for many adolescent health and developmental
outcomes. Having and using social supports is associated, among other things, with lower
rates of suicide, safer sexual behaviors, lower rates of substance use, later sexual debut and
lower rates of delinquency or perpetration of violence (Frydenberg, 1997; WHO & UNICEF,
2000). Some researchers interviewing adolescents across cultures find that youth who report
positive connections with parents (one form of social support) are more socially competent
and less depressed (Barber, in WHO & UNICEF, 2000).
Being able to seek and find help from formal or informal sources is a protective factor for
adolescent health and development and overall satisfaction with life (Baumeister & Leary,
1995, cited in Costello, Pickents & Fenton, 2001). Studies from various cultures have found
that beliefs beyond the self and opportunities for expression and connection are associated
with positive developmental outcomes. Research from
Western Europe and North America on developmental assets and developmental supports
using those terms to refer to sources of help and support via the family, community or social
institutions (schools, clinics, youth programmes, recreational activities, etc.) that assist
adolescents with their health and development needs has also largely confirmed that having
more meaningful supports and connections is better than not having them.
Research also suggests that objective measures of social support are generally less important
(and perhaps less valid) than the subjective meaning that an adolescent attributes to these
social supports. AsCostello, Pickens & Fenton (2001) state: “The perception that social
10
support is available seems to lessen – to buffer – the negative impacts of a stressful event and
to hasten recovery even if it is not actually verified, or used.” In short, believing that he/she is
supported or has a range of individuals who support them, even when or if the adolescent
does not use this support, is the central concern.
However, it is important to point out that not all social supports peer, parents or other adults
or institutions are in fact supportive. In some cases, young people may turn for help to peers
who encourage anti-social behavior. Similarly, while parents and other family members can
be sources of support, providing help and facilitating access to other sources of help, they
may act in negative ways or restrict adolescent access to services or positive sources of
support because of their own values about the given need for help (for example if the need is
sexual in nature). When family members or other adults in the community ignore family
violence or sexual exploitation, close social supports become complicit with the abuse. In
some settings, families or the state may make decisions for and force help on adolescents, in
the case of counseling for substance abuse, for example.
Likewise, when adolescents turn to their peers for information on sexual health, they may
find important affinitive support, but the information provided by their peers may be
inaccurate. Similarly when a young person seeks health services from an untrained abortionprovider, for example, the outcome from the help-seeking and instrumental support may be
negative. Ascertaining what is a positive or negative social support, or help-seeking behavior,
is sometimes unclear.
2.6 Health seeking behavior.
Health seeking behavior refers to actions that people resort to undertake for the purpose of
finding an appropriate remedy that can occur for both actual and potential problems. When it
occurs for actual problems, it is called illness behavior and when it occurs for potential
problems, it is called health behavior. Illness behavior defines any act of going in search of a
relief to fulfill a health need.
While health behavior refer to observable actions of individuals aimed at detecting or
preventing disease and improving of well being (Babitsch et al., 2012). Though nurses, and
other health professionals are limited by a utilitarian society to seek treatment from another
health professional because this is what they expect of their patients (Helfand, 2013), study
findings are contrary. A polish study found self prescription was rampant among nurses
(Binkowska-Bury et al., 2013).
11
In Nigeria, it was found that 99.6% of the respondents had ever self prescribed, with 69.3%
of these having had self prescribed within the last three months (Agaba et al., 2011). In a
survey to determine doctors’ personal choices in Hong Kong, China; 64% of the respondents
did not seek help from another physician (Chen et al., 2009), findings that are consistent with
a Nigerian study that found that only 46.9% of the respondents consulted another physician
when last ill (Agaba et al, 2011). An Israeli study found that though doctors had strong belief
in screening tests, only 27.5% of the respondents had undergone the tests with 55.6%
blaming it on lack of time (Peleg et al., 2013). Further, a Baltimore study found more than
half of the participants as not having a regular meal schedule leading to poor eating habits
and obesity (Nahm et al., 2012).
2.7 Summary of the literature review.
Health seeking behavior has been extensively studied and factors that influence health
seeking behavior are numerous. The literature recognizes the importance of the
interconnectedness of the factors which determine the utilization of health services and
contextualizes a person’s health in its economic, cultural and psychosocial dimensions as a
product of complex interaction between predisposing factors, enabling factors and need
factors.
12
CHAPTER THREE:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction.
This chapter entailed the different methods that were used under this study in order to collect
the necessary data. These included research design, study population, sampling technique,
sampling size, source of data, data collection method, data processing, analysis and
presentation, ethical procedures, limitation and delimitation of the study.
3.1 Research design.
This study used a cross sectional study design of both qualitative and quantitative data.
Cross-sectional study design is that research design used for measuring differences between
varieties of several data. It was majorly used for getting different views from different
groups. It was used because of the following advantages under it; the general survey research
design was selected because it availed information on very many variables including the
stakeholders’ knowledge on the adolescence health seeking behaviours.
3.2 Study area
The study was conducted in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County, Alebtong district and it
covered three (3) villages in Abiting parish and they include Apanyapany, Erii and Abitting
village respectively.
3.3 Study population
The research was conducted in Abiting parish, Apala Sub-County, Alebtong District, the
study group of about 50 participants was randomly selected and interviewed and they were
comprising of key stake holders such as parents, adolescence, NGOs dealing with children
and youths, Clinical officer. This study group was purposely selected because they have
knowledge, experiences and information regarding Adolescence health care seeking behavior
and are expected to give relevant information pertaining the study. The sample size conforms
to Sekaran’s (2002) postulate who contended that sample size larger than 50 but less than 500
is appropriate for most studies.
13
3.6 Instruments/measures to be used in data collection.
The research data was collected using the Questionnaires, key informants interviews, and indepth interviews that involve the use of interview guides and Questionnaires developed by
the researcher so as to obtain relevant data from participants of the study.
3.6.1 Questionnaires.
Questionnaire is a preformatted written set of questions to which respondents record their
responses, usually within rather closely defined alternatives. The questionnaire in this case
was desired on the basis that the variables under study cannot be observed, for instance, the
views, options, perceptions and feelings of the respondents in relation to the study variables.
The questionnaire is equally important in this case because the required data for this study
was collected from a large sample in a short period of data from respondents. The
questionnaires consisted of both open and closed ended questions to be administered to the
target respondents in the study area.
3.6.2 In-depth interviews
In this method of data collection the researcher engaged the participants (Teachers and
parents) in face to face consented interactive conversations that generate the required data
suitable for the providing answers to the research questions. For those participants who do
not understand English, the researcher translated the questions into the local language for the
purpose of clarity and better understanding so that the participants answers the questions in
appropriate sequence and elaborately as possible according to the researcher’s interest. The
researcher used this method of data collection as provide opportunity and ability to explore
the in depth information relating to the study variables.
3.6.3 Key informants’ interview
This method of data collection was used for collecting the primary data from the participants
with relevant experience and knowledge on the research topic under investigation. This is for
the purpose of providing relevant and required information about the research questions. The
key informant interview was purposely for the NGOs staff, clinical officers and this was
conducted through face to face interviews based upon the consent of the research participants.
14
3.6.4 Sampling procedure
To get the relevant number of the respondents, stratified Random Sampling was applied.
After stratification, purposive sampling was used as the respondents was divided from each
location and contacted. The category covered Adolescence, parents, NGOs, health assistant
and clinical officer.
3.7 Procedure
After informed consent from the Local leaders/heads of the area and participants has been
gotten, a simple random sampling technique was used for the group participants. This is a
probability sampling technique where written numbers was provided and each member from
the study population was randomly selected a number.
3.9 Data management
3.9.1 Data collection method and instrument
The study used Questionnaires, In-depth interviews and Key informants’ interviews to collect
data using the structured questionnaires as an interview guide.
3.9.2 Data Analysis
The data collected was processed by editing, coding, analyzing and summarizing into
research themes based on research questions/objectives. The data was entered into Statistical
Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 software for analysis. Univariate and Bivariate
data analysis was done. Bivariate analysis involving pearson Chi-square and odd ratio with
95% confident interval was used to determine the relationship between (need factors, Limited
factors, favorable factors) and health seeking behaviors.
3.9 Limitations and Delimitations of the study.
The researcher anticipated the following limitations during the study.
 Some respondents were too busy to give the necessary information when required
however the researcher gave the respondents enough time to answer the questionnaires
given to them
 Data collection during rainy season where the researcher bought a paper bag to protect
the documents and an umbrella during data collection
 Time limitation for data collection. This was because of the urgent need to finish report
writing beating the date line set by the University. To mitigate that, the researcher used
the skills of prioritization and multi-tusking. This enabled the researcher to programmed
and plan for data collection period which may be on weekends and evening.
15
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introduction
This chapter presents data analysis, findings, presentation and interpretation of findings. The
purpose of study was to examine the factors contributing to adolescent health seeking
behaviors in Abiting Parish, Apala Sub County Alebtong District. The chapter is organized
into sections based on the research objectives which include the following: To determine the
favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors among adolescence, to
identify the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence and to
investigate measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
4.1 Background information of the respondents
Background information of the respondents was considered by the study. Under the
respondent’s background, different variables were considered which included gender, age,
marital status and education level of the respondents as well.
4.1.1 Gender of the respondent
The study had both male and female respondents and female persons were more than male
ones as shown below.
Table 4. 1: Showing gender distributions of respondents
Gender
Male
Frequency
20
Percentage
40%
Female
30
60%
Total
50
100
Source: Primary Data (2019)
According to the findings as in Table 4:1 above, 30(60%) of respondents were female
persons while only 20 (40%) were male respondents.
16
Figure 4:1 showing the gender of the respondents
70
60
50
40
frequency
30
percentage
20
10
0
male
female
Source: Primary Data (2019)
4.1.2 Age of the respondents
Table 4:2 showing the ages of the respondents
Ages
Frequency
Percentage
Between 13-16 years
31
62%
Between 16-19 years
19
38%
Total
50
100
Source: Primary Data (2019)
The studies found out that (62%) of respondents were the adolescents in the age between 1316years meanwhile 38% of the respondents were between 16-19 years. The age brackets of
13-19 years of age were very crucial in this study as they are perpetrators of adolescent health
seeking behaviors of most communities therefore they were of benefit in this study.
4.1.2.3 Education level of respondents
Table 4: 3 showing education level of the respondents
Education level
Attending primary education
Frequency
20
Percentage
40%
Completed P.7
17
34%
Never completed P.7
10
20%
Attending lower secondary
3
6%
Total
50
100
Source: Primary Data (2019)
17
The study found out that (40%) of respondents were attending primary education and 34%
completed P.7, 34% of the respondents while 20% of them never completed P.7 of education
meanwhile 6% of the respondents were attending lower secondary education. Respondents’
level of education determines the ability to give valid information to the study. Findings from
the study revealed that most of the adolescent’s respondents had the ability to seek for health
care services.
4.2 Findings on the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors
among adolescence.
Table 4: 6 showing responses on favorable factors contributing to health care seeking
behaviors among adolescence.
Responses
Frequency
Percentage
relocating services to reach adolescents
28
56%
The service are not expensive
12
24%
The health centre is not far
6
12%
Nurses loves when we are at the health centre
4
8%
Total
50
100
Source: Primary Data (2019)
The study finding from the table above found out that 56% of the respondents stated that
relocating services to reach adolescents contributes to health care seeking behaviors among
adolescence.
In a key informant interview this came out;
“….In some places, people have found that it useful to locate or relocate health
services that favors us adolescents things like school dispensary which is helping
so much while at school because when u start to mesutrate from school, senior
woman teacher takes you to the school nurse for help and some NGOs are
teaching us how to make reusable pads.(Key informant interview with one of the
community member at his home in Abiting trading centre)
Meanwhile 24% of the respondents also stated that adolescence service are not expensive
where everyone can access because from school they are not paying and at home, they go to
health centers for government because the services are there for free.
18
12% of the respondents stated that the health centre is not far and most of them you can walk
while going to and this favors adolescence hence promoting them towards adolescent health
seeking behavior.
Finally 8% of the respondents stated that nurses at the health centre and school dispensaries
loves them and gives them quality services and care.
4.3 Findings on the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of
adolescence.
Table 4: 7 showing responses on the limitation factors contributing to health care
seeking behaviors among adolescence.
Responses
Frequency
Percentage
Availability of services, service infrastructure, case loads,
costs of services and costs associated with referrals
Distance to sources of help
26
52%
10
20%
Cultural and community norms related to help- and
health-seeking behavior
Personal coping skills
8
16%
4
8%
Previous experiences with seeking help
2
4%
Total
50
100
Source: Primary Data (2019)
The study found out that 52% of the respondents strongly agreed that availability of services,
service infrastructure, case loads, costs of services and costs associated with referrals are one
of the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence. this finding was
also in line with (Hughes & McCauley, 1998) who said that with increased reliance on private
health care in some countries and settings, the costs of some kinds of help have increased in
some settings; for young people, who generally have less disposable income than adults, these
costs are even more onerous.
Meanwhile in a key informant interview, one of the respondents said this;
“You see in terms of availability of services, mismatches between the kinds of
help adolescents want or need and the kinds of services offered can occur. For
example, most existing Adolescent services address the unhealthy
consequences of unprotected sexual activity. However, in terms of sexuality
and reproductive health, some researchers have argued that the majority of
adolescents in most parts of the world need mainly information and
counseling”. (Key informant interview with one of the NGO staff dealing with
Adolescence groups at their office in Alebtong town)
19
The study also found that the distance to sources of help was one of the limitation factors
influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence and here 20% of the respondents gave
their responses. This findings was also in line with (Islam, 1995) who said that in rural areas,
distances to public health clinics and other institutional sources of help were not considerable
and transportation costs were high and low use of government health facilities by adolescents
was related to distance followed by lack of trust of the treatment available at the centre.
Meanwhile the study also found out that 16% of the respondents mentioned that Cultural and
community norms related to help- and health-seeking behavior was one of the limitation
factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence.
In a key informant interview, this was said;
“ …Indeed, it was argued that even when formal health and social service
infrastructures exist, adolescents generally prefer to rely on family and
friends first and only subsequently turn to formal services, health or
otherwise and sometimes suggest a progression from home treatment, in the
case of illness, to the use of traditional healers to the use of modern or
public health facilities as a last resort”(Key informant interview with a
community member at his home in Akuki Village, Abiting Parish)
Meanwhile the study also found that strongly 8% of the respondents also agreed that personal
coping skills was one of the limiting factors affecting adolescence health seeking behaviors.
On the other hand, the study also found out that previous experience with seeking help was
one of the limitation factors towards adolescent health seeking behavior.
In a key informant interview it was noted that;
“….. Adolescents who have had negative experiences in seeking help may be
reluctant to trust such persons or services in the future. This indicates the need
for targeted efforts to overcome mistrust and win trust, a point that various key
informants also stressed and young people often report having turned to social
support (persons or institutions) in times of need and lost trust because of the
ways those individuals or institutions responded to their need i.e. in judgmental
terms, by betraying their confidence, by offering advice instead of listening or
by rejecting or ridiculing the young persons.”(Key informant interview with
the Community Development Officer Apala sub county at his office)
20
4.4 Findings on the measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking
behavior of adolescence.
Table 4: 8 showing responses on the measures that can be undertaken to improve health
seeking behavior of adolescence.
Responses
Frequency
Percentage
29
56%
Cultural leaders should not interfere with our health issues
14
29%
There should be frequent health talk both to boys and girls
10
20%
Nurses should continue to show love and care while at the
2
4%
50
100
Schools should have school dispensaries and there should
community health centres with adolescent services
health centres
Total
Source: Primary Data (2019)
The study found out that 56% of respondents stated that Schools should have school
dispensaries and there should community health centre with adolescent services in
order to improve health seeking behavior of adolescence.
And 29% of the respondents stated that cultural leaders should not interfere with their health
related issues
Meanwhile 20% of the respondents stated there should be frequent health talk both to boys
and 4% of the respondents said that Nurses should continue to show love and care while at
the health centres.
21
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
This chapter gives a summary of the study, draws conclusions and makes recommendations
and suggestions for further research. The main focus of the study was to determine the
favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors among adolescences also
identify the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence and
investigate measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of
adolescence.
5.2 Discussion of the findings
5.2.1 Discussions on the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors
among adolescence.
In the study, there were more female respondents compared to male respondents and when
you looked at the ages of the respondents, they were mainly from the age brackets of 13 years
to 19 years of age respectively and here they helped so much in giving the responses to the
questions as they were beneficiaries of these adolescent services that are always provided and
furthermore, most of the respondents were still attending school and here their level of
education determines the ability to give valid information to the study.
Therefore, on the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors among
adolescence, the study found out that relocating services to reach adolescents contributes to
health care seeking behaviors among adolescence as people have found that it useful to locate
or relocate health services that favors us adolescents things like school dispensary which is
helping so much while at school because when u start to menstruate from school, senior
woman teacher takes you to the school nurse for help and some NGOs are teaching us how to
make reusable pads.
Meanwhile that availability of adolescent health seeking services was found to be favoring
the adolescents to seek the health care services as they won’t be experiencing more costs in
transport and there is low cost of health services regarding adolescence where there are many
NGOs training them on how to make reusable sanitary pads as favorable factor towards
adolescent health seeking behavior and looking at the distances to the health facility where it
is short and many adolescence are accessing the health facilities to receive the services.
22
Finally the love exhibited by the Nurses loves when at the health centre was found to be a
motivating factor to adolescence to continue seeking these adolescent health services. It was
found that both nurses at the school dispensaries and at health always provide good quality
care to the adolescent groups whenever they seek for these services.
5.2.2 Discussions on the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of
adolescence.
It was found out that lack of adolescent health services, service infrastructure, case loads,
costs of services and costs associated with referrals are one of the limitation factors
influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence and through all these costs, it’s very hard
for adolescents who generally have less money to access these services.
It was found that the distance to sources of help was one of the limitation factors influencing
health seeking behavior of adolescence citing an example of rural areas, distances to public
health clinics and other institutional sources of help were not considerable and transportation
costs were high and low use of government health facilities by adolescents was related to
distance followed by lack of trust of the treatment available at the centre.
Meanwhile the study also found that some cultural and community norms related to help- and
health-seeking behavior was one of the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior
of adolescence as in some family sometimes suggest a progression from home treatment, in
the case of illness, to the use of traditional healers to the use of modern or public health
facilities as a last resort and there were issue that personal coping skills was one of the
limiting factors affecting adolescence health seeking behaviors as some adolescents who had
negative experiences in seeking help may be reluctant to trust such persons or services in the
future because of what might had happened the first time they went to seek for health
services.
5.2.3 Discussions on the measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking
behavior of adolescence.
Here the discussion was that schools should have school dispensaries and there should
community health centre with adolescent services in order to improve health seeking behavior
of adolescence as this will motivate the adolescence youth to seek for health services and it
was stated that cultural leaders should not interfere with their health related issues as there
were instances where family members would first start by taking their children to the witch
doctors thereafter to the health centers and on the other hand it was stated that there should be
frequent health talk both to boys and Nurses should continue to show love and care while at
the health centres to the adolescence who always go to seek health care services from them.
23
5.3 Conclusion
5.3.1 Conclusion on the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors
among adolescence.
The study concluded that relocating services to reach adolescents contributes to health care
seeking behaviors among adolescence and things like school dispensary which is helping so
much while at school because when u start to menstruate from school, senior women teachers
takes them to the school nurse for help and some NGOs are teaching them on how to make
reusable pads and when there was availability of adolescent health seeking services , the
adolescents won’t be experiencing more costs in transport and there was low cost of health
services regarding adolescence where there are many NGOs training them on how to make
reusable sanitary and finally the love exhibited by the Nurses loves when at the health centre
was a motivating factor to adolescence to continue seeking these adolescent health services as
both nurses at the school dispensaries and at health always provide good quality care to the
adolescent groups whenever they seek for these services.
5.3.2 Conclusions on the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of
adolescence.
It was concluded that lack of adolescent health services, costs of services and costs associated
with referrals were one of the limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of
adolescence and through all these costs, it was very hard for adolescents who generally have
less money to access these services meanwhile the distance to sources of help was one of the
limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence citing an example of
rural areas, distances to public health clinics and other institutional sources of help were not
considerable and transportation costs were high and low use of government health facilities
by adolescents was related to distance followed by lack of trust of the treatment available at
the centre. Meanwhile the study also concluded that some cultural and community norms
related to help- and health-seeking behavior limits health seeking behavior of adolescence as
in some family sometimes suggest a progression from home treatment, in the case of illness,
to the use of traditional healers to the use of modern or public health facilities as a last
resort and there were issue that personal coping skills was one of the limiting factors
affecting adolescence health seeking behaviors as some adolescents who had negative
experiences in seeking help may be reluctant to trust such persons or services in the future
because of what might had happened the first time they went to seek for health services.
24
5.2.3 Conclusions on the measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking
behavior of adolescence.
The study concluded that schools should have school dispensaries and there should
community health centre with adolescent services in order to improve health seeking
behavior of adolescence as this will motivate the adolescence youth to seek for health
services and cultural leaders should not interfere with their health related issues as there were
instances where family members would first start by taking their children to the witch doctors
thereafter to the health centers and there should be frequent health talk both to boys and girls
and
nurses should continue to show love and care while at the health centres to the
adolescence who always go to seek health care services from them.
5.4 Recommendations
 The study recommends that tight policies should be put in place to address the issues
adolescent seeking behaviors among adolescents.
 The cultural leaders and families should be sensitized on the importance of taking
adolescent to health centre when they want to get health services rather than the witch
doctors
 The study recommends that there should be frequent health talk both to boys and girls
and this should be done by community health promoters, VHTs and private partners.
 There is need for the government to construct a adolescent friendly home in each
district in order to favor those who cannot easily access the health services.
5.5 Suggestions for Further Research
The suggestions for further researcher are as follows.
That a national wide survey be conducted on the impact of adolescent health seeking
behavior on academic performance in primary school in Uganda.
That the study be conducted to assess the nature of abuse, vulnerable and orphaned children
experience in health seeking behaviors.
25
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27
APPENDICES
APPENDIX I: QUESTIONAIRES
Dear Sir/ Madam,
I am Ongom Horrish, a student of Lira University undertaking a Bachelor’s Degree in
Community Psychology and Psychotherapy of Lira University. I am carrying out a research
study on the factors contributing to adolescent health seeking behaviors; experiences of
adolescence in a rural community in Abiting Parish, Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
. This is part of the researcher’s effort in fulfilling the requirements for the award of a
Bachelor’s Degree in Community Psychology and Psychotherapy of Lira University. This
questionnaire is therefore intended to seek information on the above subject matter. The
information that will be provided will purely be for academic purposes and all the responses
will be handled with utmost confidentially. I, therefore humbly request that you complete this
questionnaire correctly in the spaces provided or options given (please, tick the appropriate
answers where options are given).
SECTION A: BIO DATA
1-Gender:
i)
Male
ii)
Female
2. Age:
i.
Between 13-16
ii.
Between 16-19
3. What is your level of Education?
i)
Attending primary education
ii) Completed P.7
iii) Never completed P.7
iv) Attending lower secondary
28
Section B C. The favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors among
adolescence
RESPONSES (Tick inside the box)
√
Relocating services to reach adolescents
The service are not expensive
The health centre is not far
Nurses loves when we are at the health centre
Section C: The limitation factors influencing health seeking behavior of adolescence.
Responses
√
Availability of services, service infrastructure, case loads,
costs of services and costs associated with referrals
Distance to sources of help
Cultural and community norms related to help- and
health-seeking behavior
Personal coping skills
Previous experiences with seeking help
Section D: The measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking behavior of
adolescence.
Responses
√
Schools should have school dispensaries and there should
community health centres with adolescent services
Cultural leaders should not interfere with our health
issues
There should be frequent health talk both to boys and
girls
Nurses should continue to show love and care while at
the health centres
29
E. Adolescents’ awareness of sources of support:
How would you rate the awareness on the part of adolescents about existing sources of
support and services in your community?
High
Medium
Low
Comment:
30
Appendix II: INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR PUPILS.
Dear respondent,
I am Ongom Horrish, a student of Lira University undertaking a Bachelor’s Degree in
Community Psychology and Psychotherapy of Lira University. I am carrying out a research
study on the factors contributing to adolescent health seeking behaviors; experiences of
adolescence in a rural community in Abiting Parish, Apala Sub County Alebtong District.
. This is part of the researcher’s effort in fulfilling the requirements for the award of a
Bachelor’s Degree in Community Psychology and Psychotherapy of Lira University. This
questionnaire is therefore intended to seek information on the above subject matter. The
information that will be provided will purely be for academic purposes and all the responses
will be handled with utmost confidentially. I, therefore humbly request that you complete this
questionnaire correctly in the spaces provided or options given (please, tick the appropriate
answers where options are given).
SECTION A: BIO DATA
1-Gender:
i.
Male
ii.
Female
2.Age:
i.
Between 13-16
ii.
Between 16-19
3.What is your level of Education?
i.
Attending primary education
ii. Completed P.7
iii. Never completed P.7
iv. Attending lower secondary
4. What are the favorable factors contributing to health care seeking behaviors of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District?
5. What are the limitation factors that influence health care seeking behaviors of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District?
6. What are measures that can be undertaken to improve health seeking behaviors of
adolescence in Abiting Parish Apala Sub County Alebtong District?
31
APPENDIX III: WORK PLAN OF THE STUDY
Table 9 showing the work plan of the study
MONTHS OF THE YEAR
No
Activities
1
Writing Synopsis
2
Proposal writing &
Nov-Dec
Jan-Feb
Mar-Apr
May-June
2019
2019
2019
2019
submission
3
Data collection &
analysis
4
Drafting & final
report writing
5
Submission
of
final report
6
Others
32
APPENDIX IV: BUDGET OF THE STUDY
Items
Amount
Stationeries typing & printing
30,000
Stationeries, typing, printing, internet & 150,000
consultation
Transport & facilitation
100,000
Stationeries typing & binding
50,000
Transport printing & binding final copy
50,000
Miscellaneous
90,000
Total
460,000
33