THE ATTITUDE OF FEMALE ADOLESCENT TOWARDS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION

1.1 Introduction

Adolescents’ Reproductive health is a crucial part of the general health, not only as a key element of the health during adolescence and adulthood but also through sitting the stage for health beyond the reproductive years for both women and men. Adolescents are reluctant to expose their own lack of knowledge about anatomy, physiology, or other related reproductive health information. Adults may worry about how much information and access to give to adolescents even those adolescents with hearing impairment.

According to Okanlawon (2004), failure to provide adequate and correct information on sexual health issues encourages them to seek information from other sources such as peers, mass media, pornographic films and the internet (Okanlawon, 2004). Schools provide little or no sexuality education to adolescents with special needs, hence they learn from their uninformed peers. Access to and use of health information, knowledge about diseases, about bodily conditions and functions are evident determinants of health status and outcomes (Oyewumi and Olajide, 2010).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Over the years, adolescent's sexual and reproductive health encompasses a significant element of the burden of sexual ill-health, where several health organizations are focusing on it to improve globally. Some of the challenges faced by adolescents across the world include early pregnancy and parenthood, difficulties accessing contraception and safe abortion, and high rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (Morris et al., 2015). Most of the adolescents of remote areas have a lack of the basic knowledge about sexual health in Nepal and due to which they have been suffering from various sexual health-related issues (Sah et al., 2012).

Health workers and the teacher are reluctant to discuss the problems. Teaching-learning about sexual health is very poor (Regmi et al., 2010). Most of the parents do not discuss sexual and reproductive health issues at home, so far, it is still considered taboo in many Nepalese societies. Therefore, adequate knowledge, guidance, and services are needed on reproductive and sexual health for school level adolescents.

Undoubtedly, access to and use of reproductive health information by female adolescents with hearing impairment is influenced by a number of barriers which include but not limited to inability to interact freely with others via verbal communication but also the negative attitude being disposed towards individuals with hearing loss as well as some economic and cultural barriers.

In some cultures, parents and family members such as aunts, uncles, elder sisters and grandparents are influential sources of knowledge, beliefs, attitude and values for children and youths. The adolescent period is a time when the teenagers need guidance and help from their parents home training is an essential element in instilling the right character and morals in the children because this have profound effect on how they will conduct their lives when they leave home. Children should be encouraged to talk to their parents, by so doing they can be prevented later in life from keeping to themselves. The youths of this generation are thrown into the pressure of an adult life.

As from 12 yrs of age, they turn to their friends for advice about sex, pregnancy, drugs, money and careers, and many of the teenagers who go long have said “we could not talk us”. Early reproductive health education to children is an important task for parents. Esim (2001) says that in some cultures, parents and family member such as aunts, uncles, elder sisters and grandparents are influential sources of knowledge, beliefs, attitude and values for children and youths. They are role models who shape young people perception of gender roles and influence the choice that youth make about their own sexual behaviour. Parents and other family members often have the power to guide children’s development towards health sexuality as a natural, normal and progressive experience within the life cycle, they can help their children develop and practice responsible sexual behaviours and personal decision making.

Singh et al (2000) recognizes that adolescent can engage in health, fulfilling sexual relationship rather than focusing only on the negative outcome may go far in reaching young people with important information. Esim (2001) says that it becomes increasingly clear that adolescent sexual and reproductive health is closely linked with educational economic opportunity.

World Health Organization (2004) opined that a adolescent is a person between 15-19 years of age, they said it is a period where an individual is shaped and prepared for adulthood responsibilities they said also that there are advantages and disadvantages of teenage pregnancy or having a baby at ones teenage stage, they went ahead to say that when you are younger the benefits are usually associated with greater fertility a more healthy pregnancy and a quicker recovery after birth. But the down side is that your social life, education and training can be severely disrupted just when it might be taking off into an interesting direction. Moreso, they said some adolescents are much more capable of looking after a child than the older women because late motherhood or late pregnancy has a greater risk of complications in the pregnancy and reduce fertility. Being older, they said can also be more exhausting looking after growing children.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to examine the Attitude of Female Adolescent towards Reproductive Health Education.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that female adolescents with hearing impairment have problems of normal adolescents to contend with in addition to the problems occasioned by their hearing disability and unlike their normal counterparts, they acquire less information from various sources such as personal conversation, and through audio materials. The essence of this research work is to find out the attitude of female adolescent towards reproductive health education in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to determine the Attitude of Female Adolescent Towards Reproductive Health Education in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Beninive Health Education. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To bring to the awareness of parents of productive health education to their children;
2. To educate adolescents on their reproductive health; and
3. To create awareness to the public on the effect of not educating children in reproductive health.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does knowledge about reproductive health bring about promiscuity amongst adolescents?
• Does ignorance prevent parents from educating their children on reproductive health?
• Is there a relationship between the knowledge about sexuality and the incidence of teenage pregnancy and abortion amongst adolescents?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: Most of female adolescents had lack of knowledge and misconception about reproductive health issues which may not negatively affect their attitude before providing them with guideline
• H1: Most of female adolescents had lack of knowledge and misconception about reproductive health issues that negatively affect their attitude before providing them with guideline

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1.7 Significance of Study

The outcome of this research will be beneficial to parents and school authoritarian stakeholders in the society by providing an approach to educating their children on reproductive health will change positively.

Also, the study will help the adolescent parents to know why and how to give se education to their children at an early to prevent teenage pregnancy.

Finally, this research will help the adolescents to know how to prevent teenage pregnancy there reducing the rate of criminal abortion this bringing a decline in maternal mortality.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Attitude of Female Adolescent Towards Reproductive Health Education in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Beninive Health Education.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research Material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Reproductive Health:

According to World Health Organization (WHO) 1993, reproductive health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing in all matters relating to the reproductive system at all stages of life.

Reproductive Health Care:

This is defined as the castellation of methods, techniques and service that contributes to reproductive health and wellbeing by preventing and solving reproduction problems.

Abortion:

Termination of a pregnancy before viability of the fetus i.e. ability of the baby to have an independents life

Unwanted Pregnancy:

This is a pregnancy a girl or human or her own freewill considers undesirable.

Unsafe Abortions:

The termination of pregnancy termed unwanted either by person lacking the skills necessary for the procedure or in an environment lacking the minimal medical standard or both.