Parent-Adolescent Communication and Knowledge on Sexual and Reproductive Health Issues Among Adolescents: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study from Nepal

Research Article

J Fam Med. 2024; 11(1): 1349.

Parent-Adolescent Communication and Knowledge on Sexual and Reproductive Health Issues Among Adolescents: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study from Nepal

Amrit Bist¹*; Hema Acharya²; Swikriti Devkota²; Bibhuti Pokhrel²; Dipjyoti Lama²

¹Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal

²HOPE International College, Lalitpur Nepal

*Corresponding author: Amrit Bist Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal. Tel: +977-9848836723 Email: [email protected]

Received: December 20, 2023 Accepted: January 26, 2024 Published: February 02, 2024

Abstract,

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescents as those between the ages of 10 and 19. Parent-adolescent communication is a fundamental process through which parents convey ideas, values, beliefs, expectations, information, and knowledge to their children. Parents are one of the primary stakeholders who plays important roles in protecting adolescents from risky sexual behaviors such as unsafe sex, unwanted pregnancy, substance use, and violence.

Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study using self- administered questionnaire was carried out in sundarharaincha municipality of koshi province among 265 adolescent participants. Simple random sampling was used for selecting schools while purposive sampling was used for participant selection. Excel and SPSS were being used for data coding, decoding, and statistical analysis.

Findings: According to the survey, a minority of respondents (31.3%) had inadequate understanding of SRH issues, while the majority (68.7%) had appropriate knowledge of these issues. Additionally, the majority of respondents (70.2%) reported having a sufficient amount of communication with their parents regarding SRH difficulties, whereas the minority (29.8%) reported having a low degree of communication.

Conclusion: The survey indicates that adolescents have a good understanding of sexual and reproductive health and effectively communicate with their parents about health-related issues. To improve parents’ adolescent communication, the study suggests conducting community awareness programs and creating a friendly environment between adolescents and parents.

Keywords: Parent-adolescent; Communication; Sexual; Reproductive health; Nepal

Introduction,

Adolescence is a transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and adulthood. The terms adolescent, youth and young people are used interchangeably to represent people of young age. According to World Health Organization (WHO), adolescent refers to the age group 10 to 19 where as young people represent the people of age group 10 to 24. Population who falls in the age group 15-24 is considered as a youth. Adolescence is a transitional developmental period between childhood and adulthood characterized by biological, psychological, and social role changes [1]. Moreover, this stage of development is a critical period for the establishment of lifelong positive and risky health-related behaviors [2]. Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) has been overlooked historically despite the high risks it has been neglected in our society. Some of the challenges faced by adolescents include early pregnancy and parenthood, difficulties accessing contraception and safe abortion, and high rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. Various political, economic, and sociocultural factors restrict the delivery of information and services; healthcare workers often act as a barrier to care by failing to provide young people with supportive, nonjudgmental, youth-appropriate services [3].

Parent-adolescent communication is a fundamental process through which parents convey ideas, values, beliefs, expectations, information, and knowledge to their children [4]. Parents are one of the primary stakeholders who plays important roles in protecting adolescents from risky sexual behaviors such as unsafe sex, unwanted pregnancy, substance use, and violence. Parents who are open enough for their child with regards to sexuality have better communication which is important to reduce risky sexual behaviors such as early sexual initiation, unwanted pregnancy, and other reproductive health problems. Different factors like cultural taboo feel embraced to discuss on sexual issues, lack of communication skill, belief on sexuality, and knowledge on sexuality affect adolescent parent communication on SRH issues [5]. Effective parent-adolescent communication is important to reduce adolescents’ engagement in risky sexual behaviors [6]. Parent–adolescent communication about SRH prevents adolescents from adopting unhealthy SRH practices [7]. Sexual activities begin at early age and rates of sexual initiation during young adulthood are rising or remaining unchanged in many developing countries, high HIV prevalence adds to the risks associated with early sexual activity, thus Parent-adolescent communication plays important role to reduce those risky behaviors [8].

Adolescents often lack basic reproductive health RH information, knowledge, and access to health services for RH [9]. Adolescents’ knowledge and access to reproductive health services is important for their physical and psychosocial wellbeing [10]. Inadequate knowledge of health services and negative effects on sexual and reproductive health, such as unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and HIV/AIDS, cause a significant number of deaths among adolescents and young people worldwide between the ages of 10-24 years [11]. The aim of this study is to assess adolescent students' understanding of sexual and reproductive health issues as well as parent-adolescent communication.

Methods,

This was a quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in sundarharaincha municipality of Koshi province of Nepal among 265 secondary level science and management students. The sample size was determined using single population proportion formula considering the following assumptions: P=21.3% (proportion of students communicating on SRH issues with parents which was taken from previously done study, (Sexual and reproductive health communication between parents and high school adolescent Global health action 2020) [12]:

Sample size (n) = [z2pq/d2]

Here, z = 1.96 for 95% confidence interval

P = prevalence =21.3%=21.3/100=0.213

q= (1-p)=1-0.213=0.787

d= allowable error (5%)

According to the formula,

Sample size (n) = [z2pq/d2]

= 1.962*0.213*0.787/0.052

=258

Adding 10% non-respondent rate,

=258+258*10/100=258+25.8=282.8=283

The estimated sample size was 283, but 18 respondents deny for the participation thus the actual sample size was 265. (265 data were taken)

Two schools Sukuna Multiple Campus and Sukuna Secondary School of Sundarharaincha Municipality were randomly selected for the study and participants from these two schools were purposively selected. Self-Administered questionnaire was used as a technique of data collection. Self-Administered Questionnaire consists of question related to demographic information and Question related to SRH knowledge and parent-adolescent communication on SRH issues. After collection of data, all responses were check for their completeness, correctness and internal consistency to exclude missing or inconsistent data. Corrected data was entered into the epi data. The data was analyzed by using statistical software namely SPSS (statistical Package for Social Science) version 25. Statistical significance was set at a 95% confidence level and p<0.05. The purposed study was conducted after the ethical approval from IRC. Administrative approval was obtained from the respective college of Sundarharaincha Municipality. Written informed consent was taken from the participants before starting the research. Privacy and confidentiality were ensured.

Result,

Table 1 showed that majority of respondents (84.2%) were late adolescents followed by (15.8%) early adolescents. Majority of respondents (54%) were female and remaining (46%) were male. Majority of respondent (61.9%) were Brahmin/chhetri followed by (30.9%) Janajati, (4.9%) Dalit and (2.3%) Others. The majority of respondent father’s education (63%) were Secondary level followed by (30.2%) Basic level and (6.8%) University level. Likewise, majority of respondent’s mother’s education (51.7%) were Secondary level followed by (46%) Basic level and (2.3%) University level.