Primary Care Providers’ Perceptions of Adolescent Friendly Health Services in Relationship to Adolescent Pregnancy

According to recent research, adolescent health continues to be a public health concern. The purpose of this qualitative research was to identify the perceptions of primary care providers regarding adolescent friendly health services and the relationship to adolescent pregnancy. The theoretical and conceptual framework used for this research included the social ecological model and the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) for providing adolescent friendly health services. Using a phenomenological qualitative research approach, interviews were conducted over the telephone. Data analysis included hand coding with emerging themes and subthemes in relationship to each research question. The results of the analysis indicated there was a lack of familiarity with the WHO’s domains of adolescent friendly health services. The research also revealed that the primary care providers felt that adolescent friendly health services influence adolescent pregnancy. The primary care providers discussed that by providing services that were adolescent friendly that there may be a decrease in adolescent pregnancy. The adolescent population may benefit from this research through the potential upscaling of adolescent friendly health services. The upscaling of adolescent friendly health services may lead to positive social change by decreasing adolescent pregnancy and improving health outcomes for the adolescent population