Utilization of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health care services among secondary school students in southern Ethiopia

Objective This study assesses the utilization of Youth-Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Services and associated factors among secondary school students in Southern Ethiopia, 2024. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 365 students in Dilla Town from August to December 2024. Participants were selected from all six secondary schools using a stratified random sampling method. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results The prevalence of youth friendly sexual and reproductive health care utilization was 38.6 % (95 % CI: 33.6, 43.8). Factors significantly associated with utilization included urban residency (AOR = 1.96, 95 % CI: 1.03, 3.71), acceptance of service confidentiality (AOR = 5.95, 95 % CI: 3.04, 11.65), absence of stigma (AOR = 3.99, 95 % CI: 2.04,7.78), proximity of service centers (AOR = 2.58, 95 % CI: 1.27, 5.22), social media use (AOR = 3.09, 95 % CI: 1.13, 8.50), and open family communication on SRH (AOR = 5.99, 95 % CI: 2.16, 16.64). Conclusions Utilization of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services was low. Strengthening confidentiality, reducing stigma, and promoting family communication are critical for improving uptake and supporting informed health choices .