The Effect of ‘You Must Know Mobile Application’ on the Knowledge and Use of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among Young People in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Adolescents constitute the majority of the world’s population and are faced with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues. The inability of young people to access /SRH services is attributed to challenges such as privacy and unconducive environment even at facilities that target them. As a result, the Ghana Health Service, the primary implementer of health activities in the country introduced the You Must Know (YMK) mobile application to provide young people privacy and confidentiality they need in accessing SRH services as well as address the issue of service availability. Objective: This study sought to determine the level of knowledge of SRH and use of services by YMK users and non- users. It also assessed factors influencing the use of YMK application among young people. Method: An unmatched case-control study was conducted in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. A mobile-based questionnaire was used to recruit 138 YMK users and 276 non-users of YMK to participate in the study. A p-value <0.05 was used to determine the statistical significance of the association between independent and dependent variables. Frequencies, crosstabs, chi-square test, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Odds ratios and a 95% confidence interval were used to determine the strength of the association. Results: High knowledge level on SRH issues was found among both users and non-users of YMK mobile application (93.5% and 94.6%) respectively (p>0.05). Young people who were Muslims were 81% less likely to have good knowledge on SRH issues compared to Christians [AOR=0.18, CI: 0.07- -0.47, p<0.001]. Findings also revealed that YMK users were more likely to use SRH services [AOR=17, CI: 9.52-29.11, p<0.001. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in knowledge among users and non-users of the YMK mobile application. However, YMK users were more likely to use SRH services as compared to non- YMK users. Users perceived the mobile application to be readily available, shorter waiting time in accessing SRH services. They described the YMK, as a simple, flexible, well-organized system which protects private information and provides personal space