Accessibility and uptake of reproductive health education during earlier youth according to 18 and 19 year old college students in the Cape Town metropolitan area

Date
2010-12
Authors
McMillan, Lauren
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reproductive health is the right of every person. The new Children’s Act (Act 38 of 2005) gives to children 12 years and older rights to reproductive health, which includes contraceptive access as well as information on sexuality and reproduction. They have the right to HIV/AIDS testing and treatment with only their own consent. The aim of the study was to investigate the personal and contextual factors which influence the accessibility and uptake of reproductive health education during early youth (13 to 18 years). The study also aimed to identify contextually appropriate recommendations toward improved reproductive health provision for these youths. A descriptive, non-experimental, research design was employed with a primarily quantitative approach. A sample of 270 participants, constituting 20% of the study population (N=1373) was randomly selected from Northlink FET Colleges, Cape Town. A self-completion structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University. Permission to conduct the research was obtained from the management of Northlink FET College. A group of 30 participants, who met the inclusion criteria, constituting 11% of the sample, participated in a pilot study. Reliability and validity were assured by means of a pilot study and the use of experts in the field, nursing research and statistics. Data was collected personally by the Principal Investigator. The data analysis was primarily descriptive in nature and presented in frequency tables, proportions and measures of relationships, using where indicated Chi-square (x2) and Mann-Whitney U tests. A thematic approach was used to analyze the qualitative data yielded from the open-ended question. Subsequently, in order to strengthen the investigation, the qualitative data, within the identified themes, was quantified based on a validated analytical approach. The results show that 74.1% (n=195) of participants were sexually experienced by the time of the study. Of the participants who reported having already had sexual intercourse, 60.5% (n=115) indicated having made their sexual début by the age of 16. A third of participants (33.2%,n=77) received their first reproductive health education by age 13. Only half of the participants (50.4%,n=116) indicated that the reproductive health education they received always influenced them to make safer sex choices. Of the participants, 21.9% (n=59) stated that they felt that they were in some way hindered in accessing contraceptives during age 13 to 18 years. The vast majority of the participants (94.4%, n=255) indicated that they would prefer reproductive health education to be provided by a professional healthcare provider at a clinic (61.5%, n=166) or by a nurse at school (33%; n=89). Increased reproductive health education within the schooling systems was requested by 52 (19.3%) participants, with more than 30% (n=84) indicating their home as the preferred source of such education. Several recommendations, grounded in the study findings, were identified, including the provision of reproductive health care and accessibility to contraceptives for youths as young as 12 years within a school setting. This care should be provided by healthcare professionals, such as nurses, on a similar operating basis as that which is provided in primary health clinics. The findings reveal to the pressing need for the development, implementation and evaluation of an alternative model for reproductive health care provision in order to assure the complete deliverance of the rights and care to youths as stipulated in the new Child Act (Act 38 of 2005).
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voortplantings gesondheid is die reg van elke persoon. Die nuwe Kinderwet (Wet 38 van 2005) gee aan elke kind 12 jaar en ouer die reg tot voortplantings gesondheid, wat insluit toegang tot swangerskap voorbehoeding en informasie aangaande seksualiteit en voortplanting. Die jeug het ook die reg tot HIV/AIDS toetsing en behandeling met net hulle eie toestemming. Die doelwitte daargestel is om te bepaal watter persoonlike en kontekstuele faktore die toegang en gebruik van voortplantings gesondheidsonderrig bevorder en/of benadeel by jonger tieners (13 tot 18 jaar). Die studie sou ook vasstel wat die voorwaardes is vir n toeganklike voortplantings gesondheidsorg diens vir hierdie tieners. !n Beskrywende, nie-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp was gebruik met n primer kwantitatiewe benadering. !n Steekproef van 270 deelnemers, insluitende 20% van die studie populasie (N=1373) was vanuit die Northlink Verdere Onderrig en Opleidings Kolleges (Kaapstad) by die studie betrek. Die vraelys gebruik was gestruktueerd en is self deur deelnemers voltooi. Etiese Komitee van die Mediese Fakulteit te Universiteit Stellenbosch verkry asook die Bestuur van Northlink Kollege. ’n Loodstudie was gebruik, waarby 30 deelnemers wat inpas by die insluitings kriteria (11% van die studie populasie) betrek is. Die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die studie is deur die loodstudie, die gebruik van ‘n statistikus, verpleegdeskundiges en die navorser-metodoloog versterk. Die finale data is persoonlik deur die navorser ingevorder. Data was geannaliseer met die bystand van ’n statistikus en is as frekwensie tabelle uitgebeeld met die gebruik van Chi-hoek (x2) en Mann-Whitney U toetse. ’n Tema benadering is geneem om die kwalitatiewe data te annaliseer. Gevolgens is die data van die kwalitatiewe studie gekwantifiseer. Die bevindings van die studie het getoon dat 74.1% (n=195) van deelnemers seksuele ondervinding voor die studie gehad het. Van die deelnemers het 60.5% (n=115) hulle eerste seksuele ondervinding gehad voor die ouderdom van 16 jaar. Van die deelnemers het 33.2% (n=77) hulle voortplantings onderrig teen 13 jarige ouderdom ontvang. Net 50.4% (n=116) van deelnemers het bekend gemaak dat die onderrig wat hulle ontvang het, hulle altyd gelei het tot veiliger seksuele keuses. Van die deelnemers het 21.9% (n=59) het gevoel dat hulle op een of ander manier verhoed was om voorbehoeding te bekom. Van die deelnemers, sou 94.4% (n=255) verkies het om alternatiewe voortplantings gesondheidsonderrig van ’n professionele gesondheidsorg voorsiener te ontvang, 61.5% (n=166) in klinieke en 33% (n=89) deur ’n verpleegster by ’n skool. ’n Toename in voortplantings onderrig binne die skoolsisteem is versoek deur 52 (19.3%) van die deelnemers, met 30% (n=84) van die deelnemers wat voortplantings onderrig van die huis af sou verkies het. Die hoop word dus uitgespreek dat die voorsiening van voortplantings gesondheidsorg aan kinders so jonk as 12 jaar binne die skool sisteem voorsien kan word, deur ’n professionele gesondheidsorg verpleegster op ’n soortgelyke basis as in publieke gesondheids klinieke. Die studie se bevindinge lei die navorser tot die voorstel om n alternatiewe model te ontwikkel en beplan. Hierdeur moet die voorsiening van voortplantings gesondheidsorg geskied wat sou verseker dat die volledige regte en sorgvoorwaardes aan die heug toegestaan deur die nuwe Kinder Wet (Wet 38 van 2005), aan voldoen word.
Description
Thesis (MCur (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
Keywords
Health education -- South Africa, Reproductive health education -- South Africa, Sex instruction for youth -- South Africa, Sex instruction for teenagers -- South Africa, Dissertations -- Nursing, Theses -- Nursing
Citation