Attitudes toward condom education amongst educators for deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescents in South Africa

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mall_attitudes_2014.pdf(324.44 KB)
Date
2014-08
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
AOSIS Publishing
Abstract
Background: Disabled adolescents are at a critical time in their psychosocial and sexual development. Aim: This study explores the attitudes of educators working in schools for Deaf and hard-ofhearing pupils in South Africa toward condom education for their pupils. Methods: We conducted a combination of individual in-depth and joint interviews with a total of 27 participants. The sample comprised educators, school psychologists, school nurses and teaching assistants. Results: Results showed that educators were aware of the HIV risk for their pupils and reported the risk of sexual abuse or premature sexual activity as being risk factors for HIV infection. None of the schools had a written condom education policy. Whilst some schools were integrating condom education in existing school curricula, others faced moral or religious dilemmas in doing so. There were differences in attitudes, both amongst schools and amongst educators in the same schools. Conclusions: Given the context of a burgeoning HIV epidemic, it is vital to address adequate condom education in schools.
Description
CITATION: Mall, S. & Swartz, L. 2014. Attitudes toward condom education amongst educators for deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescents in South Africa. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 6(1): 1-4, doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v6i1.564.
The original publication is available at http://www.phcfm.org
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
Keywords
Attitudes toward condom education, Hearing impaired children -- Education, Deaf children -- Education, Condoms
Citation
Mall, S. & Swartz, L. 2014. Attitudes toward condom education amongst educators for deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescents in South Africa. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 6(1): 1-4, doi: 10.4102/phcfm.v6i1.564
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/96267
Collections
Research Articles (Psychology)