The Role of Sexual Reproductive Health Education in Adolescents: Sexual Behaviours in Secondary Schools in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61538/huria.v12i0.119Abstract
HIV/AIDS, STD, unwanted pregnancies and abortion are indicators for the existence of adolescents’ sexual behaviours. Young people accounted for 40 per cent of new HIV infections in 2006 and about 6 millions of girls aged 15 to 19 years gave birth each year worldwide. The sexual and reproductive health education in secondary schools was a key strategy for promoting safe sexual behaviours among teenagers. This study examined the role of sexual and reproductive health education on adolescents' sexual behaviours. A cross sectional design was employed by using open and closed ended questionnaires, interview guides and focus group discussions (FGD). Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. Some adolescents, (28.8 %) in secondary schools in Morogoro Municipal were sexually active; they were involved in risky sexual behaviour such as having multiple partners, practising sex at early age as early as from 10-15 years,Lack use of condoms, engaging with sexual partners who were much older. Also adolescent students’ awareness of sexual and reproductive health matters was average. Moreover it was revealed that, students’ awareness on sexual and reproductive health had positive influence on students’ risky sexual behaviours i.e. students with high level of awareness were less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour.ÂReferences
Advocates for Youth (AY), (1995). The Facts: Adolescent Sexuality in Nigeria. Washington, DC
The Alan Guttmacher Institute (1994). Sex and America's Teenagers. New York: The Alan Guttmacher Institute.
Bailey, D. K. (1998). Methods of Social Science Research. The Free Press Collier Macmillan Publisher: London. 478pp.
Barua, A. and Kurz, K. (2001). Reproductive health-seeking by married adolescent girls in Maharashtra India. Reproductive Health Matters 9 (17): 53-62.
Buddenbaum, J. M. and Novak, K. B. (2001). Applied communication Research. Blackwell. 332pp
Coates, T. (1991). Principles of behaviour change. Network Family Health International 12 (1): 3-5.
DuRant, R. H. and Sanders, J. M. (1989). Sexual behaviour and contraceptives risk taking among sexually active adolescent female. Journal of Adolescent Health Care 10:1-9.
Gorgen, R., Yansane, M. L., Marx, M. and Millimounou, D. (1998). Sexual behaviour and attitudes among unmarried urban youths in Guinea. International Family Planning Perspectives 24(2):6571.
Kirby, D., Laris, B. A. and Rolleri, L. (2006). Sex and HIV education programs: Their impact on sexual behaviours of young people throughout the world. Journal of Adolescent Health 40 (3):206217.
Kipke, M. (1999). Risks and opportunities: Synthesis of studies on Adolescence. Washington DC: National Academy Press. National Clearinghouse for Drug and Alcohol Information. http://www.health.org/
Magnan, R. J. (2002). Reproductive health risk and protective factors among youth in Lusaka, Zambia. Journal of Adolescent Health 30(1):76–86.
Masengi, J. (2005). Determinants of adolescents’ sexual behaviour in Dar-es –salaam city, Tanzania. Unpublished Dissertation for Award of M. A. Degree at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania, 149 pp.
Mensch, B. S., Grant, M. J. and Blanc, A. K. (2006). The changing context of sexual initiation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Population and Development Review 32 (4):699-727
Moore, K. (1995). "Non-marital Childbearing in the United States." Report to Congress on Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing. US Department of Health and Human Services.
Neema, S., Ahmed, F., Kibombo, R., and Bankole, A. (2006). Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Uganda: Results from the
National Survey of Adolescents. Occasional Report No. 25. New York: Guttmacher Institute.150pp.
NGTF (National Guidelines Task Force), (1996). Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Nigeria, Lagos. 39pp
Nyanzi, S., Pool, R. and Kinsman, J. (2001). The negotiation of sexual relationships among school pupils in south-western Uganda. AIDS Care13 (1):83-98.
Pick de Weiss, S., Andrade-Palos, P. and Townsend J. (1993). Evaluation of the effect of a sex education program on knowledge, sexual behaviour and contraception in adolescents. Salud Mental 1994; 17(1):25-31.
Prince, N., Hawkin, K. and Mangi, E. (2003). Addressing the Reproductive Health Nutrition and Rights of Young people since ICPD, Country Evaluation Report. UNFPA and IPPF, Tanzania. 97pp.
Sawsan, A., Gantt, A. and Marjorie, S. (2004). Pregnancy Prevention in Adolescents. Carolina. American Family Physician 70:1517-24 [http://www.aafp.org/afp/20041015/ contents/html] site visited on 2/6/ 2007
Stover, J. (1998). Revising the proximate determinants of fertility framework: what have we learned in the past 20 years. Studies in Family Planning 29:255.
Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) (1996). Bureau of Statistics, Dar-es-salaam.130-150pp
Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) (2005). Bureau of Statistics , Dar-es-salaam.140-160pp
Tanzania HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey 2003-2004 (THIS). (2005) Tanzania HIV/AIDS indicator survey, Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania, 31-67
United Nations (2000). Guidance note for the UN Resident Coordinator System. Promoting Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health. Final draft. 12pp
UNAIDS (2006). Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic. Geneva, Switzerland. 137pp.
UNICEF (1996). Reproductive health: Facts and figures. As cited in Bird thistle & Vince-Whitman, 1997.
UNFPA (2006). State of world population, A Passage to Hope: Women and International Migration, New York.116 pp.
URT (1997). Morogoro region socio-economic profile Joint Publication by: The Planning Commission Dar es salaam and regional commissioner's office Morogoro. 228pp
URT (United Republic of Tanzania), (1998). Strategic Framework for The third Medium Term Plan for Prevention and control of HIV/AIDS/STDS 1998-2992. Ministry of Health, Tanzania .Dares-salaam.1-12 pp.
URT. (1999). Biology Syllabus for Secondary schools, form I – IV, Ministry of Education and Culture, Tanzania Institute of Education,77pp.
URT (2001). National Policy on HIV/AIDS. Prime Ministers Office. Dodoma. 36pp.
URT (United Republic if Tanzania) (2005). Biology Syllabus for Secondary schools, form I – IV, Ministry of Education and Culture, Tanzania Institute of Education, 2005.181pp
Vahidnia, F., Prata, N., and Fraser, A. (2005). Gender and Relationship Differences in Condom
Use Among 15–24-Year-Olds in Angola. International Family Planning Perspectives 31: 4.
World Education Forum (WEF), (2000). Promoting population and reproductive health especially among young people, through basic education Dakar, Senegal 26-28 April 2000 Para 7.46
WHO (1998). WHO Information Series on School Health: Violence Prevention: An Important Element of a Health-Promoting
School. WHO/SCHOOL/98.3 WHO/HPR/HEP/98.2. Geneva: WHO. (This paper has been used, partially, as a model for this document and is quoted in various sections of this document without a specifically stated reference.(pp)
WHO (2004). Adolescent pregnancy: Issues in adolescent health and development. WHO. Geneva.35 pp
Zaba, B., Pisan, E., Slaymaker, E. and Boerma, J. T. (2004). Age at first sex: Understanding Recent trends in African demographic Surveys. Sexually transmitted infections 90:28-35.
