Perceived reproductive and psychosocial health problems and determinants for accessing health care services among older adolescents (15-19 years) and key stakeholders: a qualitative study from Southern Karnataka, India

This qualitative study in Udupi district Karnataka will explore how older adolescents perceive reproductive and psychosocial health problems and the challenges they face in accessing health care services. Approximately three to four focus group discussions with adolescents in rural and urban areas and two in slum areas along with two to three focus group discussions each with parents, teachers and health workers and two to three in depth interviews with health care providers and one to two with programme implementers will be conducted using semi structured interview guides till data saturation is reached. All discussions and interviews will be audio recorded with prior consent translated and transcribed and participants will be selected purposively and will take part only after receiving information about the study in a language they understand and providing written informed consent and for adolescents written assent with parental consent where required. In addition the study includes a scoping review to summarise existing evidence from South Asia on barriers and facilitators to adolescent health care access and overall the expected outcome is a thematic understanding of personal social cultural and health system factors that act as barriers or facilitators to adolescents seeking reproductive and mental health care.