RURAL AND URBAN FEMALE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS AND USE OF PRIMARY CARE SERVICES

ABSTRACT: In light of the current and ongoing threats to young women's health of unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmissible diseases (including HIV/AIDS), assured access to appropriate and sensitive health services is of paramount importance. In this article, the results of a recent Victorian study involving rural and urban female secondary school students on issues relating to sexual health are reported. Drawing upon the findings of an extensive self-report questionnaire, young women's attitudes towards and use of health services are presented with a particular focus upon the variations that exist between the rural and urban populations. Apart from issues associated with privacy, which were found to be more crucial to rural young women's decisions to seek medical care, this study found young women's concern about the attitudes of medical and non-medical staff alike, the atmosphere of surgery or clinic, and gender of doctor all to be important factors in their general use of health services, regardless of location.