Self-reported reproductive tract infections and Treatment Seeking Behaviour among Married Adolescent Women in India

Around 151 million cases of curable STIs are found in south and south-east Asia out of 340 million cases globally. India is home to the highest number of adolescents in the world who suffers from lack the knowledge and power they need to make informed sexual and reproductive health choices. The present paper tries to understand prevalence of reproductive tract infection and sexually transmitted infection (RTI/STI) and treatment seeking behavior among married adolescent women aged 15-19 years in India using District Level Household (DLHS, 2007-08) data. Around 15 percent of women reported to have any symptoms of RTI/STI. Main symptom reported by adolescent women is low backache, pain in the lower abdomen, pain during intercourse and itching or irritation over vulva. Factors analysis shows the concentration of diseases in three clusters - infection in around the vulva, other reproductive infection and abnormal discharge; and intercourse related problems. Major predictors of both symptoms of reproductive infections and treatment seeking behavior from multivariate analysis are age, education, wealth, region and awareness about RTI/STI. Awareness about the transmission of RTIs/STIs is low among adolescents. Hence, it is important to have proper knowledge about RTI/STI among adolescents.