Knowledge and Attitude of the Adolescent Female Nursing Students about their Reproductive and Sexual Health: An Intervention Study

Abstract

Background: In the developing countries, adolescents and young people have insufficient access to information about their sexual and reproductive health needs; whether from parents, teachers, or health services. The governments’ health services generally neither recognize their special needs nor seek to foster a climate in which young people are supported. Aim of work: This work aimed at studying the knowledge and attitude of the adolescent female students in the Nursing Technical Institute about reproductive and sexual health [R&SH] Issues. It aimed also at increasing their awareness by a health education intervention [HEI] program. Subjects and methods: This study is a cross-sectional intervention study. It was conducted from the first of October [2004] to its last among the adolescent female students of the 1st and 2nd academic years in the Nursing Technical Institute in Tanta City, during the scholastic year 2004/2005. In the baseline interview, all the students received a self-administered questionnaire for the pre-test. It included socio-demographic data, questions about: the students’ knowledge and attitude towards reproductive & sexual health [R&SH]. The source of students’ information and their opinion about studying [R&SH] issues were investigated. Intervention was carried out using a health education program, for four weeks duration followed by a post-test. All the students received a booklet that contained the topics of [R&SH] after the pre-test. Results: The current study revealed that among the total studied sample, only a minority [15.70%] had a satisfactory knowledge [≥60%] towards sexual health [SH] issues, while about ½ of them [54.54%] showed a satisfactory knowledge of reproductive health [RH] issues. The 2nd year students showed a significant higher level of knowledge about RH than 1st year students [64.06% & 43.86%, χ2=8.13, p < 0.05]. About 2/3 of them had a positive attitude. Socio-demographic variables such as maternal & paternal higher levels of education and small family size were significantly associated with the level of knowledge towards both of the [R&SH] [χ2=11.82, 6.02, 4.28 [RH] & χ2=6.06, 6.14, 5.49, P<0.05]. The former variables were also associated significantly with the attitude towards reproduction and sexuality [χ2=15.58, 7.56, 8.89, P<0.05]. Mass media was the highest source of information in about ¾ of the studied sample, followed by curriculum studies [50%] and friends [36.6%] for the 2nd and 1st year students, respectively. The least topics of RH known by the students were about the female genital mutilation in either 1st or 2nd years [29.82% & 35.94%, respectively]. The least topic of SH known by the students was about the prevention of STDs in either 1st or 2nd years [7.02% & 9.37%, respectively]. Health education intervention was associated with a significant gain in knowledge and change in attitude about [R&SH] issues among the total studied sample. Conclusion and recommendations: The majority of adolescent female students in the Nursing Technical Institute of Tanta City, had unsatisfactory level of knowledge about SH issues. About the half had satisfactory level of knowledge of RH issues. Health education intervention program increased significantly their knowledge and positive attitude at the end of the program. The study recommended integrating sexual health education together with reproductive health issues in the high school curricula. Furthermore, nurses and health care professionals must have appropriate knowledge about these issues to be able to support other women and adolescents in any health care sittings.