Predictors of adolescents risk perception towards Sexual and Reproductive Health in urban slums in Ghana

The paper seeks to understand the sexual and reproductive health behaviour of adolescents within the context of urban slum living. Data was obtained from adolescents’ living in Kwesimintsim an urban slum area in Ghana. The study targeted adolescents 905 adolescents’ aged 10-19 years. A multi-staged sampling technique was used to select the individuals needed for the study. The adolescents perception of the general conditions in the area were mixed; while some of the respondents described the conditions in a positive light, others depicted the area negatively. A few indicated that they had ever engaged in any of such activities. The factors that predicted adolescents risk perception towards sexual and reproductive health included: age, ethnicity, membership of social groups, and engagement in economic activities. Adolescents who engaged in economic activities were more likely to perceive themselves at risk of pregnancy/impregnating someone. There is the need to project the positives of the slums to help in the development of the future population since these environments can enhance as well as inhibit adolescents’ reproductive health behaviour in a number of ways.