This report summarizes findings from a cross-sectional analysis nested within an online longitudinal study (QuaranTeen Health) of adolescents aged 13–17 years (N = 1721), recruited between 2022 and 2023. The analysis evaluated adolescents' self-reported perceived difficulty obtaining sexual and reproductive health products and services at three distinct time points: before the COVID-19 pandemic, during the acute phase of the pandemic, and within the past two months. The outcomes assessed were perceived difficulty accessing birth control/contraception, condoms, HIV/STI testing, and appointments with healthcare providers (HCP).
Participants were adolescents aged 13–17 years who enrolled in the QuaranTeen Health study during 2022–2023. Respondents rated their perceived difficulty accessing four categories of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) products and services using a five-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Assessments referred to three timeframes: (1) before the pandemic; (2) during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic; and (3) within the past two months. The analysis reported counts and percentages of participants endorsing perceived difficulty for each service at each timepoint.
Prior to the pandemic, a substantial minority of adolescents reported perceived difficulty accessing SRH products and services. Reported pre-pandemic perceived difficulty rates were:
These baseline figures indicate existing barriers to SRH access for a notable proportion of adolescents even before the disruptions associated with COVID-19.
Perceived difficulty in accessing all assessed SRH products and services increased during the acute phase of the pandemic compared with pre-pandemic levels. Reported rates during the acute phase were:
The largest relative increase was observed for appointments with HCPs, rising from 17% pre-pandemic to 42% during the acute phase. Access to both testing and contraceptive services was also notably more difficult during the acute pandemic period according to adolescent perceptions.
When asked about the most recent two-month period (post-acute phase), perceived difficulty showed heterogeneous patterns by service type. Some difficulties persisted at levels similar to the acute phase, while others declined but remained above pre-pandemic values:
These results suggest partial recovery for some access domains (condoms, HCP appointments) but persistence of perceived barriers for birth control and HIV/STI testing.
The study's self-reported data indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increased perceived difficulty among adolescents in obtaining key sexual and reproductive health products and services. While perceived difficulty for condoms and HCP appointments decreased from the acute-phase peak, both remained elevated relative to pre-pandemic levels. Perceived difficulty for obtaining birth control and HIV/STI testing persisted at higher-than-pre-pandemic levels in the most recent two-month period assessed.
The authors conclude that pandemic-related disruptions increased adolescents' perceived difficulty accessing SRH services and that these perceptions may persist over time. Persistent perceived barriers to contraception and HIV/STI testing could have implications for adolescent sexual health and service delivery planning.
Keywords reported by the authors include: COVID-19; adolescent health; adolescent sexual health; health promotion; reproductive health; sexual health; sexually transmitted diseases; sexually transmitted infections. The article citation in the provided source notes publication in Sex Health, 2026 Aug 17;23(4):SH26029, DOI 10.1071/SH26029, and PubMed identifier PMID: 42575525.
Note: Details on sampling procedures, weighting (if any), response rates, sociodemographic breakdowns, analytic methods beyond descriptive counts and percentages, and study limitations were not reported in the provided source text.