DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND TAILORED SMS-AUGMENTED SEXUALITY EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR ENHANCING AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE, AND UTILIZATION OF YOUTH-FRIENDLY SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES (YFSRHS)

Abstract

Adolescents and young people continue to face significant sexual and reproductive health challenges globally, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria where socio-cultural barriers, inadequate sexuality education, and poor access to youth-friendly services contribute to high rates of teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unsafe abortion, and reproductive health misinformation. Although Youth-Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Services (YFSRHS) have been introduced to improve adolescent reproductive healthcare outcomes, utilization remains low due to stigma, lack of awareness, poor confidentiality, and limited access to culturally sensitive health information. Recent advances in mobile health (mHealth) technologies, particularly Short Message Service (SMS)-based interventions, present innovative opportunities for delivering accessible and confidential sexuality education to adolescents and young adults.

 This study proposes the development of a culturally appropriate and tailored SMS-augmented sexuality education programme aimed at enhancing awareness, knowledge, and utilization of Youth-Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among adolescents and young people. The study adopts a mixed-method and participatory intervention design grounded in the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). The proposed programme integrates culturally sensitive sexuality education messages, behavioural change communication strategies, and mobile health technology to provide adolescents with accurate reproductive health information in a confidential, accessible, and youth-friendly format.

 The study explores adolescents’ reproductive health information needs, socio-cultural perceptions, barriers to YFSRHS utilization, and the effectiveness of SMS-based educational interventions in improving reproductive health knowledge and healthcare-seeking behaviour. Existing studies demonstrate that mHealth interventions significantly improve adolescent reproductive health awareness, contraceptive knowledge, and service utilization when messages are contextually relevant and culturally acceptable.

The study is expected to contribute to adolescent reproductive health scholarship by developing an evidence-based and culturally responsive digital sexuality education model suitable for low-resource settings. The paper recommends increased integration of mobile health technologies into adolescent healthcare programmes, improved policy support for digital sexuality education, community engagement in programme design, and strengthened collaboration among healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers to improve adolescent reproductive health outcomes in Nigeria.