Factors Associated with Parent-Adolescent Communication on Sexual and Reproductive Health Issues Among Secondary and Preparatory School Students in Mekelle City, North Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood where new behaviors are more easily learned than when in adulthood. sexual and reproductive health are among the most essential aspects of life for adolescents, but due to cultural taboo and political sensitivities, they often obtain little attention in public health policy discussion. In Ethiopia, sexual and reproductive health problems of adolescents are increasing from time to time and this is related with most parents do not feel happy to discuss about sexual issues with their adolescents and early sexual commencement. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify factors affecting parent adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues among Secondary and Preparatory school students in Mekelle city, North Ethiopia. Method: School based Cross sectional study was conducted among high school students in Mekelle city from August 1 to 30, 2014. High school students in Mekelle of age 10-19 years enrolled in grade 9th-12th for the academic year 2013-2014 was selected from the source population using multistage sampling. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 537 Students from 9th–12th grades. Data were entered using Epi Info version 3.5.1 was exported and analyzed by SPSS version 20. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify independent predictors of adolescent- parent communications. Results: More than half (57.6%) respondents had discussed on sexual and reproductive health issues with their parents. In the multivariate analysis adolescents who had illiterate mother were found to be 0.43 and 0.46 times less likely to have communication on sexual and reproductive health issues than such adolescent with mothers who have attained secondary and higher degree and/or qualification, respectively (AOR=0.43; 95% CI: 0.22-0.84) and (AOR=0.46; 95%CI: 0.24-0.89).Those adolescents communicate HIV/AIDS with relatives (aunts, uncles, grand-mothers and grand-fathers) 4 times more likely to discuss sexual and reproductive health issues than such adolescents who communicate with peers (AOR=3.94, 95%CI: 1.98, 7.82), These Adolescents discussed sexual intercourse 3 times more likely to communicate sexual and reproductive health than such adolescent who don’t communicate (AOR=2.88, 95%CI: 1.89-4.38). Conclusion and recommendations: In this study parent-adolescent communications on sexual and reproductive health issues were low.so that it is vital to develop a comprehensive national adolescent sexual and reproductive health and development strategy to implement in school, family and community level to increase parent-adolescent communication.