Adolescent-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues and associated factors among secondary school students in Woreta town, Northwest Ethiopia: An institutional based cross sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundWorld Health Organization states adolescents as persons whose age is between 10–19 years. In Ethiopia, sexual and reproductive health problems of adolescents are high. Parent-adolescent communication regarding sexual and reproductive health issues is important to reduce adolescent risky sexual behaviors. ObjectiveThe goal of the study was to assess adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues with parents and associated factors among secondary school students in Woreta town. MethodInstitutional based cross sectional study was conducted among 360 students from March 25–29/2019. Simple random sampling technique was applied to select study participants. Data was collected by self-administered questionnaire. Data was entered into Epinfo7 and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics, bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were applied. Odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals and P values were calculated.Variables having P-value < 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression analysis were considered as determinant factors for adolescent-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues. ResultA total of 360 school adolescents were involved in the study making 100% response rate. One hundred ten (30.6%) of the students had communication with parents on at least 60% of topics of sexual and reproductive health issues. Being Grade 9 (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1–4.4) and grade 10 students (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1–4.5), students who were knowledgeable on SRH issues (AOR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.9–6.5) and students who accepted the benefit of communicating SRH issues with parents (AOR = 5.2, 95% CI: 1.9–13.7) were more likely to communicate on SRH issues. Conclusionand Recommendation: Adolescent-parent communication on SRH issues was found to be low. The sexual and reproductive health knowledge of adolescents could be enhanced through participating them in different health clubs in school and outside school.