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Article History

Received: 27 November 2025

Accepted: 2 March 2026

First Online: 17 April 2026

Declarations

:

: Ethical clearance for the study was granted by the Committee on Human Research, Publication, and Ethics of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Approval number: CHRPE/AP/1179/24) committee and aligns with Ghana’s Adolescent Health Service Policy and Strategy, which recognizes the evolving capacity of adolescents and supports their access to confidential SRH services while ensuring parental involvement in research contexts. Additional permission was obtained from Marie Stopes International. All participants gave written informed consent after the objectives of the study had been explained, and confidentiality was assured. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants aged 18 and above. For adolescents aged 15–17 years, the study procedure involved a two-step consent process: (1) written assent from the adolescent, and (2) written informed consent from a parent or legal guardian. No names or identifying details were collected, and participants were reminded of their right to withdraw at any stage of the study. Before questionnaires were administered, participants received counselling, and their authorization was reconfirmed. Trained enumerators explained the questions in English or the preferred local language of participants to ensure understanding. To maintain privacy, each participant was assigned a code. The dataset was password-protected to restrict access. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration and its 2013 amendments.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.