The influence of social capital in the utilisation of sexual reproductive health services among the youth in Ghana. A community-based cross-sectional study

Background Social capital, often seen as the resources accessed through social connections, is currently gaining much attention in public health. However, limited studies have focused on the relationship between social capital and reproductive health services. Besides, while the factors associated with the use of reproductive health services among the youth are well documented in the literature, most studies have focused on aspects at the individual level. Yet, it is known that these behaviours can be influenced by social factors, which may be beyond the individual’s control partly because the youth are embedded in social organisations. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between social capital and the youth’s utilisation of reproductive health services. Method The study population comprised adolescents and young adults aged 15 – 24 years who were both in and out of school at the time of the survey. The study used a cross-sectional quantitative design involving a community-based household survey method to sample 792 respondents through multi-stage cluster sampling. The chi-square test examined the relationship between sociodemographic, social capital variables and reproductive health services. To account for potential confounding factors, a multivariable logistic regression model included variables from the binary logistic regression analysis with a p-value less than 0.05. Results In general, access to higher social capital was observed among 493 (62.2%). Almost half, 385 (48.6%) of the respondents have ever used at least one of the reproductive services examined in this study. After controlling for sex, marital status, age and access to valid National Health Insurance Card, the following social capital variables remained associated with increased utilisation of SRH services: higher trust in neighbourhood (AOR = 1.8; CI = 1.22 – 2.66), higher trust in people/institutions (AOR = 2.66; CI = 1.82 – 3.99), higher social cohesion (AOR = 3.35; CI = 2.21 – 5.08), stronger network (AOR = 7.55; CI = 4.43 - 12.87). Conclusion Access to some social capital dimensions led to increased use of reproductive health services. However, any intervention meant to address social capital needs in sexual and reproductive health should consider the efficacy of each social capital dimension and the intervention’s environment.