Adolescent–parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The Gambia
Background: Adolescent–parent communication about sexual issues is a challenging issue worldwide. In The Gambia, many traditional communities limit such communication and this can have an adverse influence on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes and behaviours in adolescents. Aim: The stud...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2020-11-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2437 |
| _version_ | 1828355075074949120 |
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| author | Phebian I.G. Sagnia Etadafe P. Gharoro Alphonsus R. Isara |
| author_facet | Phebian I.G. Sagnia Etadafe P. Gharoro Alphonsus R. Isara |
| author_sort | Phebian I.G. Sagnia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Adolescent–parent communication about sexual issues is a challenging issue worldwide. In The Gambia, many traditional communities limit such communication and this can have an adverse influence on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes and behaviours in adolescents.
Aim: The study assessed adolescent–parent communication on selected SRH issues amongst secondary school students.
Setting: The study was conducted in selected secondary schools in Western Region 1 of The Gambia.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study utilised mixed methods. For the questionnaire survey, secondary school students were selected using a multistage sampling technique whilst parents for focus group discussions were purposively selected.
Results: A total of 600 adolescents and 48 parents were studied. Only 360 (60.0%) of the students had heard of SRH. One-third (67.3%) knew about sexually transmitted infection (STIs) such as human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (56.5%), gonorrhoea (40.5%) and syphilis (2.5%). Social media (31.0%) were the predominant source of information regarding SRH issues, followed by television (22.0%), school (14.0%) and parents (9.0%). Half (50.8%) of the adolescents discussed sexual intercourse with their parents – mostly with their mothers. Parental and cultural factors, fear, shyness and ignorance were the main reasons why adolescents did not discuss specific SRH issues with their parents.
Conclusion: This study showed that adolescent–parent communication on SRH issues was poor. Programmes supporting parents to effectively communicate SRH matters with their children should be designed and implemented. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:35:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-46aff7d91d0049369793c747ee49b2cb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2071-2928 2071-2936 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:35:26Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-46aff7d91d0049369793c747ee49b2cb2022-12-22T02:17:26ZengAOSISAfrican Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine2071-29282071-29362020-11-01121e1e710.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2437787Adolescent–parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The GambiaPhebian I.G. Sagnia0Etadafe P. Gharoro1Alphonsus R. Isara2Directorate of Health Research, Ministry of Health, BanjulDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin CityDepartment of Community Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin CityBackground: Adolescent–parent communication about sexual issues is a challenging issue worldwide. In The Gambia, many traditional communities limit such communication and this can have an adverse influence on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes and behaviours in adolescents. Aim: The study assessed adolescent–parent communication on selected SRH issues amongst secondary school students. Setting: The study was conducted in selected secondary schools in Western Region 1 of The Gambia. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study utilised mixed methods. For the questionnaire survey, secondary school students were selected using a multistage sampling technique whilst parents for focus group discussions were purposively selected. Results: A total of 600 adolescents and 48 parents were studied. Only 360 (60.0%) of the students had heard of SRH. One-third (67.3%) knew about sexually transmitted infection (STIs) such as human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (56.5%), gonorrhoea (40.5%) and syphilis (2.5%). Social media (31.0%) were the predominant source of information regarding SRH issues, followed by television (22.0%), school (14.0%) and parents (9.0%). Half (50.8%) of the adolescents discussed sexual intercourse with their parents – mostly with their mothers. Parental and cultural factors, fear, shyness and ignorance were the main reasons why adolescents did not discuss specific SRH issues with their parents. Conclusion: This study showed that adolescent–parent communication on SRH issues was poor. Programmes supporting parents to effectively communicate SRH matters with their children should be designed and implemented.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2437adolescentsadolescent–parent communicationsexual and reproductive healthsecondary school studentsthe gambia |
| spellingShingle | Phebian I.G. Sagnia Etadafe P. Gharoro Alphonsus R. Isara Adolescent–parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The Gambia African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine adolescents adolescent–parent communication sexual and reproductive health secondary school students the gambia |
| title | Adolescent–parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The Gambia |
| title_full | Adolescent–parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The Gambia |
| title_fullStr | Adolescent–parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The Gambia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adolescent–parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The Gambia |
| title_short | Adolescent–parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The Gambia |
| title_sort | adolescent parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in western region 1 of the gambia |
| topic | adolescents adolescent–parent communication sexual and reproductive health secondary school students the gambia |
| url | https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2437 |
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