Youths with disabilities: Utilization and predictors of Youths Friendly Reproductive Health Services in Dessie City Administration, North East Ethiopia, 2021: A cross‐sectional study

AbstractBackground and AimsYounger generations with disabilities are more likely to be affected and have severe difficulties receiving specific services. Ethiopia is no exception to the global trend of poverty‐stricken countries with a higher frequency of illness or disability. This study aimed to assess the utilization of Youths Friendly Reproductive Health Services (YFRHS) and predictors among youths with disabilities in Dessie City, North East, Ethiopia, 2021.MethodsA community‐based, cross‐sectional study was conducted. Data were collected from the literature using questionnaires. Bivariable analysis was performed for each independent variable with a p < 0.25 on the data imported to multivariate logistic regression analysis. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) at a 5% level of significance has measured the strength of association between utilization of youth‐friendly reproductive services among disabilities and independent variables.ResultsOf 423 participants, 91% responded. About 42% of participants had used YFRHS. Youths in the age group of 20–24 years were 2.8 times more likely to use such services than 15–19‐year‐olds (AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: [1.04, 7.44]). Disabled youths living alone were 3.6 times more likely to use the services than those with parents (AOR = 3.6, 95% CI: [1.36, 9.35]). Youths with a visual impairment were 80% less likely to use the services than youths with hearing impairments (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI: [0.18, 0.30]), and disabled youths with poor knowledge were 90% less likely to use the services than participants with good knowledge (AOR = 0.1, 95% CI: [0.01, 0.61]) were statistically significant.ConclusionThe utilization of YFRHS among youths with disabilities in Dessie Town was low. Participants aged 20–24 years, who lived alone, had visual impairment, and had poor knowledge, were found to be significantly associated.