Sanjeev Davey, et al. Rural Health Centre Services Utilization by Adolescents 603 International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health | 2014 | Vol 3 | Issue 5 STUDY OF RURAL HEALTH CENTRE SERVICES UTILIZATION BY ADOLESCENTS IN DISTRICT MUZAFFARNAGAR (UTTAR PRADESH-INDIA) Sanjeev Davey, Santosh Kumar Raghav, Khursheed Muzammil, Jai Vir Singh, Anuradha Davey Department of Community Medicine, Muzaffarnagar Medical College & Hospital, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India Correspondence to: Sanjeev Davey (Sanjeevdavey333@gmail.com) DOI: 10.5455/ijmsph.2014.150220141 Received Date: 23.01.2014 Accepted Date: 15.04.2014 ABSTRACT Background: Currently adolescents mortality and morbidity in rural areas is featured by many causes such as communicable as well as non-communicable diseases apart from accidents, suicides etc which lead to illness or premature death later in their life and their usage of rural health centre services is also emerging to be a new issue. That’s why it is important to study this area critically. Aims & Objective: To study the rural health centre services utilization by adolescents. Materials and Methods: This was prospective study carried out from 1 st January 2013 to 31 st December 2013. The study was carried out at the rural health and training center (RHTC), Bilaspur of Muzaffarnagar Medical College, Muzaffarnagar (UP) which covers 6 villages. All adolescents attending OPD in year 2013 according to the WHO defined criteria of adolescents (10-19 years) and who gave consent were included and enrolled in this study. Adolescents who did not attend OPD and those who did not give consent for participation in study at RHTC Bilaspur were excluded. Results: The study found that the majority of female patients utilized OPD services of RHTC (53.3%) but main health care service utilized among adolescents was Medical Problem (20.5%) whereas Obstetrical & Gynaecology problems were least (13.8%). Among the other services; most common utilized were dressing for injuries (11.3%) and least utilized were, immunization services (0.8%). Conclusion: The usage of health services utilization of RHTC suggests that there are emerging problems in different health specialties among adolescents, so this area needs further research in future studies. Key Words: Adolescents; Rural Health Centre; Health Services Utilization Introduction Adolescence is defined by World Health Organization (WHO) as age range from 10-19 years. [1] From the last decade, increasing attention to adolescents in global reports, peer-reviewed journals and most importantly in national plans and strategies is paid and stressed. According to WHO fact Sheet (2011) on Young people: health risks and solutions- nearly 2.6 million young people aged 10 to 24 die each year, due to preventable causes. Young people between 15 to 24 years contributed; 40% of all new HIV infections among adults in 2009, nearly 20% of adolescents also experienced mental health problem of depression or anxiety, 150 million young people used tobacco, 430 young people aged 10 to 24 die daily due to interpersonal violence, road traffic injuries kill 700 young people every day and 16 million girls aged 15 to 19 give birth every year. [2] According to another WHO fact Sheet on adolescent pregnancy (2012)-about 16 million adolescent girls give birth every year in low- and middle-income countries. Stillbirths and newborn deaths are 50% higher among infants of adolescent mothers than among infants of women aged 20-29 years. Infants of adolescent mothers are more likely to have low birth weight. [3] million girls aged 15-19 undergo unsafe abortions every year. [3] Any health care programme for adolescents, will serve as a future investment for breaking the cycle of inter- generational poor health. Promoting healthy practices of adolescence, and protecting young people from health risks is critical to the future of countries’ health and social infrastructure and to the prevention of health problems in adulthood. The GOI recognizing this problem seriously has just recently started a newer programme called as “Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karykram” (RKSK) under NRHM programme based on a community based approach for health of Adolescents who comprise over 21 percent of the over 121 crores population. [4] This programme focuses on six priority areas in health care of adolescents: R&SH, Nutrition, Mental health, Injuries and Violence, substance misuse and Non-communicable diseases. In a study conducted in urban slums of Lucknow by Singh et al. (2006) on 400 adolescent girls aged 10–19 years, the most morbid conditions found was inadequate oral hygiene (55.4%) and least common was ear discharge (7%) among Indian slum girls. [5] Study conducted in rural community by Geetha et al. (1997) in Kaniyambadi Block of NorthArcot district of Tamil Nadu(India), the leading complaints among adolescents were general fatigue, palpitations, backache and abdominal pain. [6] In an another study on nutritional status and morbidity among the school going adolescents in peri urban area Wardha RESEARCH ARTICLE