Reproductive Health for Teens: Parents Want In Too

Abstract

A mixed method approach explored teens’ preferred source of information on sex and reproductive health. Parents’ concerns about and perceived barriers to providing reproductive health information to their teens were also explored. Data were gathered from an online survey of 347 teens and three focus groups comprising parents of teens from three Massachusetts communities. Most teens expressed their desire for parents to be one of their primary sources of information (85%). Most parents believed that sexual education should start at home, yet many have not communicated such information. Parents expressed difficulty in staying up-to-date and felt uncomfortable communicating with their teens. Parent perception of supporting factors included a good parent–child relationship and beginning the discussions at a young age. There is a need for culturally sensitive and innovative interventions aimed at creating a safe place for parents to gain knowledge, resources, and strategies to talk to their teens about sex and reproductive health.