Browsing by Author "Mfune, Grace"
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- ItemOpen AccessExploring parent and adolescent communication about sex and birth control in Mangochi district.(Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, 2010-07-14) Mfune, GraceAdolescent represent a special group in a society. The status of their reproductive health has many physical, social and demographic ramifications in a society. The lack of information on reproductive health and access to services make adolescents a particularly vulnerable group in most African countries. In Malawi adolescents get reproductive health information from peers, school, and media. Some of the information they get misleads them hence indulging in early sexual intercourse which results in early pregnancy and contraction of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Therefore, the purpose of this research is to explore the communication between parents and adolescent on sex and birth control in Mangochi District. Specifically, the study aims; to assess the information that parents discuss with children as regard sex and birth control, to determine whether the adolescent is satisfactory with the communication, to explore challenges that parents and adolescents face when they are discussing about sex and birth control and finally to assess recommendation from parents and adolescents as regards communication on sex and birth control. The findings of this research will bring positive contribution towards strengthening sex and birth control in Malawi. The results of this study shall have implication on policy makers, health workers, education, research and the community at large. The methodology to be used in this research study is the qualitative method and a sample of 12 will be used where each one will be giving his views subjectively relevant to the questions that will be asked from the in-depth interview guide. Data will be analysed manually.
- ItemOpen AccessParent and adolescent communication about sex and birth control in Mangochi district.(Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, 2010-11-26) Mfune, GraceAdolescent represent a special group in a society. The status of their reproductive health has many physical, social and demographic ramifications in a society. Despite parental advices on abstinence and government's effort to combat early and unwanted pregnancy through introduction of youth friendly health services, a lot of the adolescents still contract premarital pregnancies. Parents play a key role in shaping adolescent behaviors, and parent- child communication, has been identified as an important factor in preventing early and risky sexual behavior. The purpose of the study aimed to explore Parent and Adolescent Communication about Sex and Birth control in Mangochi district. This was an exploratory study of communication between parents and adolescents on sex and birth control in Mangochi. Data was collected from consenting five parents and five adolescents through in-depth interviews. Data analysis was done manually according to identified major themes using descriptive content analysis of qualitative research. Results revealed that most parents exposed their children to sex education at puberty. The discussion still remains advising them to abstain from sex in order to prevent pregnancy and STDs. Parents in Mangochi apart from abstinence they neither discuss with their children about birth controls nor allow their adolescents to use the birth controls because they have fear that adolescent use of birth controls will promote promiscuity, infertility and some other diseases like uterine fibroids. However, the level sex and birth control communication was very unsatisfactory to the adolescents because the topic remained largely on abstinence. Adolescent wished their parents could become the most reliable source of birth control information. Adolescent still reported that they get information on birth controls from friends, media, school of which it's not clearly understood to them and at the end they get confused with the information of which they don't utilize. They need parental support, consent and involvement on birth controls In conclusion improving open parent-adolescent communication and parents' communication skills on adolescent use of birth controls can promote prevention of unwanted and early pregnancy among adolescents. There is need to conduct a national survey in Malawi to gather enough evidence.