Amsterdam 2015
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| Abstract #2094 - Poster 2 | ||||
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Session: 59.3: Poster 2 (Poster) on Tuesday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Janet Mugo - Centre for the Study of Adolescence, Kenya |
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| Additional Authors: | ||||
| Aim: Lack of adequate knowledge on SRHR among Kenyan adolescents leads to poor health outcomes such as infections with STIs including HIV/AIDS, unintended pregnancies and abortions. Kenya’s policy on adolescents outlines the need for sexuality education in the schools. According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2008/2009, comprehensive knowledge about HIV prevention among young people aged 15-24 is below 50%, indicating a great need to raise awareness of HIV prevention among the youth. The aim of the study was to find out primary and secondary learners’ perceptions and attitudes towards SRHR-focused newspaper pullouts in Kisumu County, Kenya. | ||||
| Method / Issue: A total of 101 learners and 12 teachers participated in this qualitative study. Three primary schools and three secondary schools were targeted. Data was collected using 6 Observations, 12 Focus Group Discussions with learners aged 10-18 and 12 Key Informant Interviews with teachers between October and November 2014. Data analysis was done using Nvivo Version 8. | ||||
| Results / Comments: Results show that learners found pullouts to be educative on topics such as use of contraceptives and sexual intercourse, and also liked pictures of their peers had been used as examples in the pullouts. However, half of learners in primary schools faced a language barrier, hence, did not understand most content in their pullout. Those in lower primary school had not yet learnt about HIV and SRH found some terms difficult. Learners observed that pullouts helped them to clear myths they held previously about contraceptives. Although learners felt free discussing with siblings and peers, they mentioned that they did not feel free talking to their parents and teachers. | ||||
| Discussion: Newspapers can be used as a direct source of HIV and SRH information as learners discussed the content with their peers and siblings. Newspapers can also be used to provide correct, age-appropriate HIV and SRH information in a simple, colourful way, thus allowing leaners to clear myths and misinformation they may get from other sources and people. Learners did not feel comfortable discussing the content of newspapers with teachers and parents due to fear of backlash, indicating a need for interventions that encourage adolescents, teachers and parents to open up and discuss HIV and SRH issues. | ||||
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