Promoting sexual and reproductive health among adolescents: What works?

Siblings can play a significant role in shaping adolescents' attitudes and behaviors. Existing studies have mainly used European and European-American samples, neglecting sibling relationships and communication in non-Western contexts. This study fills research gaps by focusing on adolescents in Ghana (mean of 3.3 siblings) and demonstrates that adolescents generally receive similar health information from their siblings as they do from parents, school, friends, and the media. The study finds that: (1) older siblings advocate for sexual abstinence and early pregnancy prevention; (2) 15-19 year old adolescents are more likely to communicate with older siblings, while out-of-school males and rural females are less likely to do so; (3) communication is more likely to occur in same-gender dyads; and (4) siblings’ personal experiences can offer adolescents unique perspectives and learning opportunities that can impact their transition to adulthood. This study's findings call for considering siblings as an important target group in adolescent-related interventions.

Along with socio-economic development, adolescents and youth in Vietnam are more actively and early engaging in sexual practice, including premarital sex. This practice produces bad consequence as the fact that Vietnam now is one of the countries having highest abortion rate, for both women and adolescents/youth, in the world. The National Survey Assessment on Vietnamese Youth (SAVY) can provide a comprehensive picture of premarital sex among adolescents/youth as well as possible factors affecting this practice. Research findings reveal that 9.3 percent of adolescent and youth have had premarital sex. Various individual demographic, socio-economic, family and community factors possibly having influence, both good and bad, on shaping sexual attitude and practice of adolescents and youth are examined. Statistically significant relationships between the examined factors and sexual practice may give suggestion to policy makers and programs to address reproductive health information and services needed for this vulnerable group of population.

Contraceptive use is low, whereas pregnancy levels remain high among adolescents in Ghana. Contraceptive use is known to prevent maternal and infant deaths, but social norms among others inhibit their use by adolescents in most developing countries. Encouraging family planning (FP) uptake among adolescents is vital to reducing maternal (MDG 5) and infant mortality (MDG 4). This paper’s objective was to define the best approaches to satisfying the FP needs of adolescents in the study population. A qualitative study design was used to facilitate the understanding of societal attitudes towards FP delivery to adolescents and identify approaches to FP delivery. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were used to collect data from adolescents, societal representatives and FP providers. Themes that emerged from data analysis with respect to “Perspectives on FP Care Delivery to Adolescents” and “How Best to Address Adolescents’ FP needs” were presented, discussed and supported with quotes.

The effectiveness of school-based sexual and reproductive health education may be limited by the socio-cultural and policy environment, the technical capacity of teachers to conduct such education, as well as technological advancements that may render traditional teaching approaches unappealing to many young people. This paper uses data from a pilot pre- and post-intervention study that was conducted in eight secondary schools in Nairobi, Kenya, between 2010 and 2011 to examine the effectiveness of using comic books to deliver HIV and AIDS messages to in-school young people. Information was collected through structured self-administered interviews with 3624 and 2914 students at baseline and endline respectively. Qualitative feedback from students was also obtained through drop-boxes. The findings show that the comic books were effective in improving students’ knowledge about modes of HIV infection; enhancing communication about the epidemic among them; positively changing their attitudes towards people living with HIV; reducing their fear and increasing their likelihood and intention of getting tested for HIV; and positively changing their sexual behaviours. The study underscores the need for age-appropriate communications channels to reach young people with HIV and AIDS information in settings that are affected by the epidemic.

Despite Nigeria’s abundant physical and human resource endowments, the economic growth rate has been as slow (0.1 %, 1965-1996). This is due in part to the improper harmonization of demographic characteristics of the population and the physical resources. For instance high fertility rate can lead to rapid population growth and high proportion of the youth in a population. Resource allocations for the different sectors of the economic become limited and thus slow the rate of economic development. Apparently, controlling population growth rate, as echoed by the United Nation, is necessary for any economy to development.
Investing in the human resource particularly adolescent reproductive health needs is not only a right but crucial for any meaningful economic development.
Information from sources like the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey and other sources revealed that adolescents are now giving birth before the age of 18 years thus contributing to an annual population growth rate of 3.2%. This scenario imposes an unsustainable burden on the health care There is a need to demystify sex education and include it in school based programmes. This will help to discourage unprotected sex, lower fertility and eventual slowing the rapid population growth delivery and slow economic development.

Cambodians socio-economy was changed from socialist to capitalist in the 1989. As almost Cambodian people (96.9%) follow the Buddhist practice (Census 2008), but why Cambodian young people celebrate Valentine’s Day which is coming from Western culture recent years?

A new Valentine’s Day phenomenon were explore related to love and sexual relationship among young couples in Phnom Penh aged 15-24 years old on Valentine’s Day 2008. The qualitative results showed that more than half of the interviewees in the study were happy to engage in sex on that day and at least a few of them lost their virginity. Although most reported using condoms, several instances of coercion were also reported. There seems to be a lack of parental understanding about their children’s sexual activity and a corresponding lack of open communication. (Soprach, 2009)

The quantitative descriptive study 458 young people were interviewed in a two week prior Valentine’s Day in Phnom Penh in 2009. The quantitative results showed that 12.4 percent of young people will be able to have sex upcoming Valentine’s Day. Alarmingly, 66 percent of males planned to have sex with their partners regardless of consent. (Soprach, 2010)

Interventions should be continued and targeted young people and their parents before and on Valentine’s Day.

Abortion has been legal in Nepal since 2002. However, parental consent is required for women under age 16. Because of inappropriate knowledge, young women rarely utilize safe abortion service to terminate unwanted pregnancies. This study seeks to examine community level information on young women’s knowledge, attitudes and skills concerning comprehensive abortion care. A household survey among 600 women age 16 to 24 year in Rupandehi revealed that, knowledge of Nepal’s abortion law among young women is very low and attitudes towards abortion among young women are mostly positive. However, confidentiality and positive/supportive attitude of provider is a key facilitator in seeking abortion care. Young women also perceive that there is a bias against unmarried women in need of reproductive health care. Partner support is high, but young women lack reproductive independence and confidence. Friends are a large source of support for abortion among young women and media, health providers and interpersonal relationships are important source of information for abortion. The study highlights need to Increase knowledge and awareness of abortion, need to decrease stigma around reproductive health care for unmarried women, empower married women to make positive reproductive health choices, increase community support for safe abortion.

Background: The Katanga Province in the south-east of DRC covers an area of 496,877 square kilometers. The estimated population is over 11.462.290 out of 60% are under age of 25. Local authorities’ financial commitment to advance ICPD agenda is strong. Thus, UNFPA is enhancing national ownership and government initiative to increase access of adolescents and youth to RH information, counseling and services.
Objective: Support the provincial government ‘commitment to promote HIV prevention among adolescents & youth.
Strategy: Analyze the provincial budget and provide support where financial commitment is expressed. The entry point was 'Promoting HIV /Voluntary Counseling Testing (VCT)'.
Achievements: A free space was granted by the municipality for the construction of a multifunctional youth center financed by the “Fonds social” in partnership with the World Bank for a total cost of 421.000USD out of 10% was provided by UNFPA as part of youth community contribution.
Since its inauguration (August 2011), about 120 000 adolescents &youth were sensitized on HIV prevention methods; 4000 were HIV tested thanks to mobile VCT; 250 per day are using the services;20 peers’ educators trained in YFS; 14 young journalists in media techniques; youth health clubs in place in 15 schools with 1512 members (1150 boys, 362 girls).

Using nationally representative cross sectional information drawn from Nepal Adolescent and Youth Survey 2011, this paper attempts to explore the determinants associated with premarital sex among unmarried adolescents and youths in Nepal. Two stages stratified sampling techniques was used to collect the information. Altogether 14853 adolescents and youths (7109 boys and 7644 girls) aged 10-24 from 300 cluster comprising 9000 households were selected for the interview. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses have been used to analyze the data.
Bivariate analysis reveals that age, education, mass media exposure, exposure to internet, household economic condition and other spatial factors are significantly associated with premarital sex among youths. As expected, a higher proportion of adolescents and youths having higher education, exposed to FM, Radio, TV and Internet have premarital sexual experience. However, age, education, mass media exposure are strong predictors of premarital sex among adolescents and youths after controlling the influence of other variables in multivariate analysis.
This study is conclusive that education, mass media exposure (FM, TV, Radio, Internet exposure) are the significant predictors associated with premarital sex among youths.

Background: The environments of conservatism and cultural norms have hindered the formal introduction of sex education in school curricula in Nigeria because of negative impact sex education will create on youth.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using a multi-stage sampling technique.
Results: Mean age of the respondents was 37 ± 11 years; fifty seven percent were males while 43% were females. Seventy percent of the respondents were aware of sex education. There was poor understanding of the concept as only 38% could appropriately define sex education. Fifty seven percent of respondents rejected introduction of sex education for primary and secondary school pupils. There was statistically significant relationship between level of education of respondents and support for sex education.
Conclusion: Sex education is an ill-understood concept and opinions are divided on its introduction in schools among respondents.
Keywords: sex education, views, parents, Kaduna- Northern Nigeria