Affiliation:
1. Family Health Bureau
2. Base Hospital, Panadura
3. Provincial Director of Health Services office, Western Province
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: School-based and community-based sexuality education has not shown a significant impact on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcome of Sri Lankan adolescents. Parents as the primary educators of adolescents would be a better source of providing individualized sexuality education to their children.
Objective: To assess the existing pattern of mother-daughter communication of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) matters among Sinhala adolescent girls aged 14-19 years in Sri Lanka.
Methods: A descriptive-cross sectional study was conducted among a sample of 810 Sinhala adolescent girls, using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics related to mother-daughter communication of SRH matters were presented using frequencies and percentages. Bivariate analysis was performed to assess the association of selected socio-demographic factors with mother-daughter SRH communication while Binary logistic analysis was performed to assess the independent association of selected demographic factors with mother-daughter SRH communication.
Results: The majority of the respondents (67.1%, n=540) were positive about discussing SRH matters with their mothers. For 78.2% (n=632) mother was the most preferred source of SRH information. Issues related to menstruation (88.4%, n=701), keeping body limits (94%, n=718), and preventing sexual violence (72.6%, n=574), were among the common topics discussed between mothers and daughters. Cultural barriers (46.8%, n=379),and fear of parental perception (56.3%, n=456), were the main barriers to discussing SRH topics with mothers. Adolescent girls’ age, religion, status of schooling, and family income level were significantly associated with mother-daughter SRH communication.
Conclusions and recommendations: Adolescent girls identified the mothers as a good source of SRH information. Parents' contribution as a primary source of SRH information to adolescent girls when planning adolescent sexual health interventions needs to be considered.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC
Reference19 articles.
1. UNFPA. Population matters. 2017.
2. Rajapaksa-hewageegana N, Piercy H, Salway S, Samarage S. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare Sexual and reproductive knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in a school going population of Sri Lankan adolescents. Sex Reprod Healthc [Internet]. 2015;6(1):3–8. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2014.08.001.
3. Kumarasinghe M, De Silva WI, de Silva R, Suranga MS. Unmarried Sri Lankan youth: sexual behaviour and contraceptive use. Contracept Reprod Med. 2022;7(1):19. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-022-00185-w.
4. B.C.V S. An assessment of Reproductive health education in Sri Lankan schools. 2003.
5. Wilson EK, Koo HP. Mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters: gender differences in factors associated with parent-child communication about sexual topics. Reprod Health. 2010;7:31. Available from: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3019147.