Parent-Child Communication and Adolescent Sexual Behaviour in the Ejisu Juaben Municipality

Abstract

Background: Parent-child communication regarding sexual and reproductive health has the potential to reduce adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviours; yet parents find it difficult to discuss sexual issues with their children. In particular, parents fail to communicate with their adolescent children on sensitive issues of sexuality, like sexual intercourse, condom use, puberty, STIs, and physical development, but rather do so on less sensitive ones such as the effects of HIV. Communication between parents and adolescents about reproductive health issues, however, is difficult for parents. Objective: To determine the barriers to parent-adolescent communication on sexuality and reproductive health issues. Methods: The study was a community based cross-sectional study. A simple random sampling was used to select 422 young people of age 10-19 together with their parents in communities near Ejisu. Data were analyzed using SATA 14. Odds ratios and their 95 percent confident interval were used to assess the strengths of association. In all statistical analysis, P value of 0.05 was used to determine the statistical significance. Conclusion: The objectives of the studies were achieved by identifying the factors that had impacts on communication between parents and their adolescents, it was identified in this study that the major barriers inhibiting parent-adolescent communication on sexual and reproductive health matters include the, the religious and cultural beliefs of the parents, low level of education of the parents, age (younger age of child) and the lack of connectedness of adolescents to their parents. Definition of Terms. Sexuality: Sexuality in this study refers to the broader context of adolescent reproductive health encompassing puberty, emotional maturity, gender roles and sexual health. Adolescence: According to the World Health Organization, adolescence is the age bracket between 10-19 years. For purposes of this study, adolescents will refer to persons aged 10-19 years which also corresponds to the Ghana educational system age categorization from primary (elementary) school to senior secondary. Communication: Communication in this study refers to the exchange and sharing of information, attitudes, and ideas among parents and their adolescent children regarding sexuality.