Understanding the sexual and reproductive health rights and experiences of very young adolescents in rural Uganda from the perspectives of emerging adults.

Abstract

We investigated the sexual and reproductive health rights and experiences of very young adolescents (VYAs), 10-14 years old, from the perspective of emerging adults (18-25 years old). Data collection and analysis were guided by the socio-ecological and positive youth development frameworks. Data were collected through naturalistic observation of the community, photovoice, key informant interviews (n=5), and focus group discussions with emerging adults (n=20). Key emerging themes included: limited economic resources, sex education, and gender expectations. While limited economic resources and certain gender expectations play a role in increasing VYAs' exposure to risky settings and behaviours, sex education in schools and parental support play an important role in protecting VYAs from poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Identifying ways to minimize exposure to risky settings and behaviours while strengthening existing protective factors found in the community need to be considered when designing future strength-based, community tailored, and culturally sensitive interventions.