One in three sexually active adolescents aged 12-19 sought information or care in sexual and reproductive health services, with 94.6% of those who sought information or care receiving it, based on Mexico's 2023 National Health and Nutrition Survey.
One in three sexually active adolescents sought information or care related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
Among adolescents who sought SRH information or care, 94.6% reported receiving it.
Female adolescents used SRH services more than their male counterparts.
Health fairs or health days (jornadas o ferias de salud) were the primary setting where SRH care was provided to adolescents.
The main reasons adolescents sought SRH services were sexuality guidance and contraceptive method counseling.
The authors conclude that urgent inter-institutional actions are needed to bring adolescents closer to health services, including strengthening awareness of the range of available services.
This research used data from Mexico's 2023 National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut 2023) to examine how often teenagers aged 12 to 19 who had already become sexually active sought out sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services or information, and whether they actually received help when they looked for it. The study found that only about one in three sexually active teenagers looked for SRH information or care. However, among those who did seek help, almost all of them — about 94.6% — actually received it. Girls and young women were more likely to use these services than boys and young men, and most care was delivered not in clinics or hospitals, but at community health fairs or health days. The main reasons teenagers sought services were to get general sexuality guidance and advice about contraception. This research suggests that the main barrier to SRH care for Mexican adolescents is not a lack of services once they are sought, but rather a failure to reach teenagers in the first place. Many sexually active young people are simply not looking for care or information, which could leave them without knowledge about contraception, sexually transmitted infections, or other reproductive health topics. The reliance on health fairs as the primary point of contact is also noteworthy, as these events may be infrequent or inconsistent. The authors highlight an urgent need for coordinated efforts across multiple institutions — including schools, health agencies, and community organizations — to make adolescents more aware of and comfortable with accessing SRH services. This research suggests that simply having services available is not enough; active outreach and education about what services exist and how to access them are essential steps to improving adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Mexico.
Villalobos Hernández A, Suárez-López L, De la Vara-Salazar E, Hubert C, Hernández B, Varela-Chávez Y, et al.. (2025). [Not Available].. Salud publica de Mexico. https://doi.org/10.21149/15834