Assessment of parental sex education to own adolescents among parents in a peri urban community
Abstract
This was a Survey of Parents' Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of
sex education to their own adolescents.
The study was conducted between January and March in three
divisions of Kiambaa Division of Kiambu District, Central Province
of Kenya. This study area is located about 20 km from the city of
Nairobi.
The study population were parents with at least one child in
adolescence. Depending on availability either one or both parents
were included in the study. The study instrument was structured,
mainly pre-coded questionnaire. The data was obtained through
personal interviews conducted from house La ho u sc . The sample
population was made up of 729 parents, 70.4% of whom were females.
The survey found that 46.3% of parents gave sex education to their
own adolescents, majority of them giving it to those of their sex
only. Parents gave their adolescents sex education from a mean age
(of the adolescent) of 10.33 years (SD=3.51) and the practice was
associated with Parents Social, Economic and Demographic factors.
'Of these factors, knowledge that own adolescents received sex
education from sources other than the parent had highest odds ratio
10R=4.l8). Age of the parent was the only other factor with odds
for the practice (OR=.l.03 ).
The level of sex education given to adolescents was higher for
girls than for boys. The level of practice to boys was associated
with age and socio-economic status (SES) inde~ of the parent.
Knowledge of sex education among parents was high and associated
with a parents' sex and SES index. Males scored signi ficantly
higher than females and parents of Jow SES scored
significantly higher than those of high SES index.
The attitude to sex education was positive, with nearly all parents
feeling that sex education for adolescents was appropriate and that
it should be given by own parents, starting from a mean age of
10.61 years (SD=2. 84) and that it should include contraceptive
education.
The study recommended further studies on parents to understand why
the level of practice is unmatched with the high levels of
knowledge and attitude and to determine why those parents who know
that their adolescents receive sex education from other sources are
more likely to give sex education to their adolescents than those
who did not.
'Other recommendations were: a study to assess the feasibility of
using PTA' s to impart sex education to adolescents in schools,
beginning Family Life education in primary schools at standard four
(corresponding to age .10-11 years),and establishing of community
based centres for sex education counselling for parents with
adolescents and adolescents out of school.
Citation
Njoroge, P. K(1991). Assessment of parental sex education to own adolescents among parents in a Peri urban community.Publisher
College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi
Description
Master in Public Health Thesis