| dc.description.abstract | The problem of teenage pregnancies among school going girl children is not a recent phenomenon in Kenyan schools and particularly in Kisii Central district. The health, social and economic implications are multiple. This raises the question as to why a number of Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) efforts have not yielded fruits in terms of reduced pregnancies and school dropouts of the girl children, despite the concerted efforts to reverse the trend. In venturing an answer to these questions, the study assessed the effectiveness of ADRA-Kenya's Abstinence Behaviour change for Youth (ABY) communication strategy in promoting positive reproductive health behaviour that guarantees reduced teenage pregnancies among school girls in the district. The overall objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of ADRA-Kenya's ABY communication strategies in promoting health behaviour necessary for the reduction of teenage pregnancies among school girls in the district. A survey design was used in this study. The study targeted a population of 758 girl-students, between 13 and 19 years old, from four secondary schools in the project area. A sample of 326 was taken. Both primary data and secondary data were used in this study. Self administered questionnaires were used
to collect primary data. Secondary data was obtained from ADRA's records and from the respective four schools. The study used quantitative methods to analyze data elicited from respondents. The quantitative data from the survey questionnaires was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Most of the respondents indicated that premarital pregnancy teenage pregnancies were a major health concern in the area alongside drugs and substance abuse and sexually transmitted infections including HIV / AIDS and abortion. Most of the respondents acknowledged exposure and knowledge of the ABY programme and identified peer educators, posters, pamphlets, radio, church, film and video shows and T-shirts as some of the sources of the information. Majority of respondents said that they had heard of the ABY programme in the year 2005 and 2006. Slightly more than half of the respondents were members of ABY peer groups. According to the findings peer educators were found to be the most effective source of information in communicating abstinence behavior change for youth
(ABY) messages. Although most of the respondents identified abstinence as the most effective method of preventing pregnancy and indicated that the ideal time for a girl to have sex was at marriage, a cumulative high percentage indicated they would ideally have sex before 19 years. A cumulative majority of respondents said they would have between one and three sexual partners in their teenage life. A good number of participants indicated that a schoolgirl who became pregnant would be allowed to have her baby while for some she would have to get married. Most participants had friends that were involved in sexual relationships. On the contrary, majority of the respondents' friends approved abstinence from sexual intercourse. More than half of the participants argued that if they found themselves alone in a house with a boy who had been asking for sex they would critically and creatively out think him, while others would assert themselves. Interestingly, a handful would be glad for the sexual opportunity! Most of the girls who became pregnant while in school were due to transactional sex exchange of sex for rewards and money for sex while a number are tricked into sexual intercourse or were sexually assaulted. There were various resolutions that the respondents had arrived at following the ABY campaigns. Most had made up their mind to be careful about relationships - be abstinent, reduce their sexual activity through reduction in the number of sexual partners and being faithful to one sexual partner. The study presents strong evidence that the program has improved knowledge (especially knowledge about HIV/AIDS, pregnancy and methods of preventing them). It has also improved awareness and reduction of risks (intention to restrict sex/reduce numbers of partners) and self-efficacy to refuse sex. However, despite the high awareness and knowledge levels among female students on the benefits of sexual abstinence, students still indulge in sex risk behaviours that could lead to pre-marital pregnancies and infection with sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV / AIDS. | en |
