The relationship of parents' communication patterns and peer-group interaction with sexual risk behavior in adolescents

Introduction Sexual risk behavior in adolescents is a serious problem and is increasing in Indonesia. This study aimed to explain the relationship of parents' communication patterns and peer-group interaction with sexual risk behavior in adolescents in Surabaya. Method This study used a cross-sectional design. The sample of 106 adolescents was obtained by cluster random sampling. The inclusion criteria were 15-18 years of age and those living with parents. Data were collected using parents' communication pattern questionnaire, peer-group interaction questionnaire and sexual risk behavior questionnaire, and were then analyzed using Spearman's rho statistical test. Results There was a relationship between parents' communication patterns (p = 0.000; r = -0.586) and peer-group interaction (p = 0.000; r = -0.565) with sexual risk behavior in adolescents. Conclusion Open and two-way communication between parents and adolescents needs to be developed so that adolescents can develop good behavior. The development of a program to prevent sexual risk behavior needs to be done especially in adolescents' peer groups to prevent the negative impact of peers in the spread of sexual content in adolescents in their groups.

Prevalence and personal predictors of risky sexual behaviour among in-school adolescents in the Ikenne Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria

Risky sexual behaviour increases the vulnerability of an adolescents to reproductive health problems like sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancy and abortion. This study therefore investigated the prevalence and personal predictors of risky sexual behaviour among in-school adolescents in the Ikenne Local Government Area, of Ogun State, Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 716 participants for the study. A validated semi-structured questionnaire with a Cronbach's alpha score of 0.78 was used to collect data. Frequency and logistic regression analysis were conducted to give statistical responses to the research question and hypotheses using SPSS version 23. The mean age of the participants was 15.2 ± 1.4 years and 57.3% of the respondents were female. Above a quarter (35.5%) of the respondents were in senior secondary one (SS1) in high school. More than half (53.1%) of the respondents had a good level of knowledge about risky sexual behaviour and 54% of the respondents had a fair perception of it. The respondents' attitudes towards risky sexual behaviour was moderately high (61.2%). The respondents had moderately high (63.7%) self-esteem. The prevalence of risky sexual behaviour was 19.2%. The personal predictors of risky sexual behaviour are age [odds ratio (OR) = 3.21; p < 0.05); gender [OR = 1.86; confidence interval (CI): 1.26-2.69; p < 0.05]; perception (OR = 2.58; CI: 1.55-4.30; p < 0.05); attitude (OR = 4.58; CI: 1.61-13.05; p < 0.05); self-esteem (OR = 7.39; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the respondents' risky sexual behaviours are predicted by age, gender, attitude, perception and self-esteem. The study therefore recommends that educational materials about the negative effects of the risky sexual behaviours should be included in the curriculum of secondary schools.

Determinants of reproductive health services utilization among rural female adolescents in Asgede-Tsimbla district Northern Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Adolescents especially females in rural area are vulnerable to a wide range of reproductive health problems including sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, and unsafe abortion. They have limited access to reproductive health services that focus on the special needs of female adolescents. This study was aimed to assess the determinants of reproductive health service utilization among rural female adolescents of Asgede-Tsimbla district.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from February to April 2018, in eight randomly selected sub-districts of Asgede-Tsimbla. A total of 844 female adolescents aged 15-19 were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi-info Version 3.5.3 and then exported to SPSS Version 21 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess the association. Statistical significance was declared by 95% confidence interval of the odds ratio.

RESULT

From 844 participants, 95.5% of female adolescents heard about reproductive services from different sources and 69.7% of them utilized the reproductive health services within the last 12 months. Factors like, age of 16-20 years (AOR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.17-2.92), mother's educational status (being illiterate (AOR = .33, 95%CI:.14-.77)), discussion about reproductive health services with their family (AOR = 8.02, 9%CI:5.52-11.66), being Merchant (AOR = 2.7995%CI:1.11-6.96), unemployed (AOR = 2.90, 95%CI:1.19-7.06) or student (AOR:2.38, 95%CI:1.04-5.42) in occupation, high perceived severity (AOR = 4.05, 95%CI:2.68-6.11), high perceived barriers (AOR = .44, 95%CI:.30-64) were independent predictors of reproductive health services utilization among female adolescents the study area.

CONCLUSION

About 69.7% of the adolescent females were utilizing reproductive health services in the study area though it was very low as compared with the national plan. Introducing messages that increase the perceived threat and decreasing perceived barriers to utilize reproductive health services as well as increasing self-efficacy of adolescent females would help further increase reproductive health services utilization by adolescent females.

Sexual Coercion and Associated Factors among Female Students of Madawalabu University, Southeast Ethiopia

Introduction. Violence against women, in its various forms, is an important social and public health problem in different communities around the world. Although violence against women is against the inalienable human right and resulted in physical, sexual, and psychological harm or suffering to women, little has been documented regarding its factors and distribution among youth population such as university students. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess factors associated with sexual coercion among female students at Madawalabu University.Methods. This was a cross-sectional institution based study conducted on 411 female students which were selected by systematic random sampling from the list of female students. Data were collected in April 2012 using structured-interview administered questionnaire. Descriptive, binary, and multivariable logistic regression analysis were carried out using SPSS version 16.Result. In this study, the mean (±SD) age at first sex was 18.19 (+1.83) years. Lifetime and coercion in last twelve months were 163 (41.1%) and 101 (25.4%), respectively. Twenty-one (5.9%) of the respondents were raped. Being influenced/forced into unwanted sexual act 74 (18.6%) and having their genitalia/breast unwillingly touched 44 (11.1%) were reported as the commonest mechanisms of coercion. Age at first sex (17–19 years) (AOR = 0.241, 95% CI: 0.074, 0.765) and occasional alcohol use (AOR = 4.161, 95% CI: 1.386, 12.658) were significantly associated with coercion in the last twelve months.Conclusion. The overall lifetime sexual coercion was found to be 41.1%. In this study 6.8% of female students were raped and majority have had trial of rape. But 93.75% did not report to any legal body. With the existing prevalence and identified factors, the university should work towards minimizing the risk of sexual coercion through intensifying life skill peer education and assertiveness trainings.