Table 2 Mean item and subscale scores measuring provider attitudes towards youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, scored from 1–4 points (1 = unfavorable attitudes, 4 = most supportive attitudes), n = 529

Subscale 1 Combined Score

2.4 (0.46)

Unmarried adolescents seeking sexual and reproductive health services should be told to abstain when they ask for contraceptives^a

1.7 (0.95)

Discussing sexual intercourse with unmarried women and men is shameful^a

2.3 (0.87)

Unmarried adolescents should not be provided with contraceptives because culture and religion prohibit engagement in premarital sex^a

2.3 (1.0)

Parents should be informed if their unmarried daughters come to a health facility to seek reproductive health services^a

2.3 (0.94)

I would scold an unmarried adolescent if he or she asks for contraceptives^a

2.4 (0.91)

I would refuse to provide contraceptives for adolescents before marriage^a

2.4 (0.92)

Teaching unmarried youth about contraceptives is acceptable

2.6 (0.84)

Reproductive health services are only available for married women^a

2.6 (0.96)

Women and men of all ages should be welcomed into the clinic for sexual and reproductive health services if they seek them

2.8 (0.92)

Subscale 2: Norms and personal beliefs

Mean (SD)

Subscale 2 Combined Score

2.9 (0.39)

If a girl has irregular periods, her parents should be informed^a

2.2 (0.83)

My personal beliefs guide the way I provide health services to adolescents^a

2.4 (0.87)

Only girls should be given information about sexual and reproductive health because they are the ones who have the most issues related to sexual behavior^a

2.7 (0.89)

If a client does not volunteer information to me that they have been subject to violence perpetrated by members of their family, I shouldn’t ask them directly about it because it is none of my business^a

2.7 (0.89)

By definition, boys cannot be the victims of sexual assault^a

3.0 (1.0)

Asking youth if they are victims of any kind of violence is considered interfering with their personal or family issues^a

3.1 (0.81)

Boys and girls should not be given information about puberty because it will encourage them to engage in sexual behavior^a

3.2 (0.78)

Educating youth on reproductive health topics leads to sexual immorality^a

3.2 (0.75)

If a boy or a girl has a genital ulcer, it is because he or she is promiscuous^a

3.2 (0.72)

If a young woman comes into a health facility and says she has been the victim of sexual assault, she probably did something to deserve it.*

3.2 (0.88)

The best way to prevent unmarried adolescents from becoming sexually active is to keep them in the dark about these issues^a

3.3 (0.74)

Attitudes towards the policy and clinical environment

Mean (SD)

Subscale 3 Combined Score

3.0 (0.53)

Educational materials on sexual and reproductive health should be openly available to unmarried boys and girls

2.7 (0.90)

Youth should be given the same level of confidentiality when receiving sexual and reproductive health services as adults

2.8 (0.90)

Schools and health facilities should work together to provide reproductive health information and services to youth

2.9 (0.85)

Health workers play an important role in reducing sexual and reproductive health problems among pre-marital adolescents

3.0 (0.79)

Sexual and gender-based violence among youth should receive governmental attention as a significant social issue

3.2 (0.79)

It is important to make sure that any services provided to youth are done so privately so no one else in the clinic can hear

3.3 (0.84)