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This paper assessed factors affecting adolescent-friendly health services (AFHS), education and utilization among youth (10–19 years) in Kumbungu district, Ghana.

The study used a cross-sectional design involving 416 adolescents from households using a random sampling technique. The authors collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, education and utilization of AFHS using a semi-structured questionnaire between June and September 2017. Logistic regression models were used to determine the factors associated with AFHS education and utilization.

Of the 416 adolescents interviewed, 66% were between 15 and 19 years. Half (50%) of the adolescents received AFHS education, 54% utilized existing services and 85% knew about health challenges. Females (aOR = 0.64; p = 0.031) were less likely to receive AFHS education compared to males. Muslims (aOR = 0.21; p < 0.001) were less likely to utilize AFHS compared to Christians. Adolescents with primary (aOR = 6.65; p = 0.020), junor high school (JHS) (aOR = 10.66, p = 0.079) or senior high school (SHS) (aOR = 1.04; p = 0.954) education were more likely to utilize AFHSs compared to those with no education.

This study reports a moderate level of education and the utilization of adolescent health services. Sex, religion and education are the key predictors of AFHS education and utilization. This study contributes to the understanding of adolescent health services and the foundation for future studies. It may be used for the planning of adolescent health service programs in disadvantaged settings.

The purpose of this paper is to identify locally relevant factors that predict low haemoglobin (Hb < 11.0g/dl) level of pre-school children (6–23 months) in an impoverished area of Ghana.

This study used a cross-sectional analysis of 278 mother–child pairs selected from households using random sampling techniques. Child feeding knowledge, antenatal care (ANC) practices and socio-demographic characteristics were assessed. Hb levels were laboratory determined. This paper modelled the predictors of low Hb in multiple linear regressions.

More than half (53.0%) of the children were female and aged more than one year (60.4%). Mean Hb was 8.5 ± 1.5 g/dl, and the prevalence of anaemia was 95.0%. High child feeding knowledge was independently associated with increased Hb of children after adjusting for the effects of other factors (β = 0.61, p < 0.005), and mothers who made at least four ANC visits during pregnancy had children with high Hb (β = 0.42, p = 0.04). This paper found some evidence of an inverse association between high household wealth and child Hb levels (β= −0.75, p = 0.06).

This study reports a high prevalence of low haemoglobin levels and anaemia in pre-school children in an impoverished area in Ghana. Maternal education on appropriate child feeding and encouragement of antenatal care attendance during pregnancy are key factors to increasing child haemoglobin levels in this setting. Though the current study bridges the knowledge gap between health service education and practice, a large population-based study is required to confirm the finding.