REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AWARENESS AND ADVICE-SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF UNMARRIED COLLEGE-GOING GIRLS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Adolescence and young adulthood are critical periods for developing healthy sexual and reproductive behaviours. In India, unmarried college-going girls often face sociocultural barriers, misinformation, and limited access to youth-friendly services, adversely affecting their health-seeking behaviour and reproductive outcomes. Objectives: 1) To assess awareness regarding reproductive and sexual health (RSH) issues among unmarried girls. 2) to examine utilization patterns and barriers in accessing RSH services. 3) o evaluate their perceived reproductive health needs before marriage. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 97 unmarried female college students aged 18–25 years using a semi-structured, self-administered online questionnaire. Information on socio-demographic profile, RSH awareness, attitudes, misconceptions, and advice-seeking behaviour was collected. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies and percentages. Results: Awareness of adolescent-friendly health clinics was low 32 (33.0%). Although all participants 97 (100.0%) had heard of HIV/AIDS, only 15 (15.4%) knew that AIDS is not curable. Correct knowledge regarding pregnancy at first intercourse was limited 9 (9.2%), and only 37 (38.1%) identified at least one contraceptive method. Misconceptions and uncertainty persisted regarding pregnancy risk 38 (39.1%) unsure and masturbation 41 (42.2%) unsure. Only 33 (34.0%) had ever sought RSH services. Teachers were the primary 88 (90.7%) and preferred 86 (88.6%) source of information. Nearly half 47 (48.4%) expressed the need for more RSH information, and 53 (54.6%) desired premarital counselling. Conclusion: The study highlights significant gaps in reproductive health awareness, persistent misconceptions, and suboptimal advice-seeking behaviour among unmarried college-going girls. There is a need of strengthened comprehensive reproductive health education addressing socio-cultural stigma and expansion of adolescent-friendly services.