Communication on sexual and reproductive health among school going adolescents and parents

Abstract

Background: Adolescents being a vulnerable population undergo different changes during adolescents in which sexual and reproductive growth and development is one of them. Par­ents are expected to socialize with their adolescents through sexual and reproductive health communication to prevent risky sexual behaviors. This study aimed to assess adolescents and parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues.

Methods: A cross–section study was conducted among 213 students of grade eight, nine and ten from two schools of Sankhu, Nepal. Structured modified questionnaire was used to assess ado­lescent and parent communication on sexual and reproductive health by using self- administered technique.

Results: Among 213 adolescents, 9.1%, 3.8%, 2.8% discussed a lot about topics of sexual and re­productive health such as menstruation, pubertal changes and birth control respectively while relationship with opposite sex, abortion and sexually transmitted infections were never discussed by80.8%, 70.4% 59.6% of the adolescents respectively. Communication on different topics were low among majority of the adolescents (55.9%) and were significantly associated with gender and adolescents’ felt closer parent (p=<0.05). Quality of communication was high among more than half of the adolescents (51.2%) and was significantly associated with age, gender and their felt ap­proachable parent for sexual and reproductive health communication (p=<0.05).

Conclusions: Though the quality of communication regarding sexual and reproductive health was found to be high, communication on sexual and reproductive health issues were infrequent and critical elements like relationship with opposite sex, sexually transmitted infections, abortion and fertilization were avoided.