Talking about sexuality at secondary schools of periurban area of Dhaka city

Abstract

Adolescents constitute 23 percent of population in Bangladesh yet access to information and education on reproductive health is limited for them. To determine the effect of introducing an education booklet on reproductive health knowledge among the adolescents and its acceptability to them. Students of grade IX and X in eight secondary schools (both boys and girls schools) of periurban location of Dhaka city. A quasi-experimental pre-post test design study was conducted during October 2004 to May 2005. The intervention was distribution of an education booklet and conduction of a health education session at the respective classes. Total number of respondents were 1,490 (862 during pre test and 628 during post test). About 4% of parents never attended school, whereas 10.7% of fathers and 3.2% of mothers were graduates. A greater proportion of adolescents could correctly narrate the physiological changes of adolescence, duration of menstrual cycle, fertile period, leucorrhoea, masturbation, and night emission in the post test. Almost all adolescents stated that health education was necessary and should be given in secondary schools. About 95% stated that the education booklet was necessary. They appreciated that the language was easy and fluent, the illustration was meaningful, and some suggested a few modifications. Providing reproductive health information to adolescents can be sustained through inclusion in school curriculum and has the potential to produce health benefits in future.