Family planning services are rendered at no cost in all clinics in Mdantsane. Mdantsane is situated in the Eastern Cape and falls under Amathole District Municipality. The high rate of adolescent pregnancy in the area raises a question as to whether the family planning services are adequate. This issue reflects on the quality of family planning service delivery. According to Roux (1995:94), a quality service is a safe, easily available and readily acceptable service, delivered by well trained family planning personnel through well planned programmes. Aims and Objectives: To assess the quality of family planning service delivery by health providers to adolescents; determine the opinions of adolescents regarding accessibility, friendliness of staff, privacy, confidentiality, reproductive health information and resources at Mdantsane clinics from June to July 2009. Method: A questionnaire was designed to collect data. The questionnaire was administered on the adolescents utilizing the reproductive health services at eleven primary health clinics in Mdantsane. A sample consisting of 110 adolescent youth between 19 and 24 years was selected by using random sampling. A response of “yes” will indicate that the participant is satisfied with the specific item, while a response of “no” will indicate dissatisfaction with that item. A specially designed spreadsheet was developed to analyze the data. Data was analyzed by using the Microsoft Excel 2007 Version 6. Results: The results from this research study suggest that there is a definite need for improvement of adolescent reproductive health services at Mdantsane clinics. It is clear that the current available maternal and child health programmes, school health services and reproductive health services are not able to meet the adolescent sexual and reproductive needs. Conclusion: The research findings from this study indicated the constraints to good quality family planning health care service delivery. Satisfaction responses from the five categories: health facility amenities, accessibility, staff characteristics, availability of sexual and reproductive health services and availability of educational material accessibility were mostly below 70%. The responses regarding the question on the “full information about the available contraceptives”showed the least level of satisfaction. Deficiencies in physical facilities and equipment, disruptions in supplies, insufficient information provided to clients and providers‟ insensitivity to the feelings and needs of the clients are issues that discourage adolescents from utilizing contraceptive services. Recommendations: Adolescents need a safe and supportive environment that offers information and skills to equip them on all aspects related to sexual and reproductive health issues. To satisfy adolescent reproductive needs, the following key elements should be improved: accessibility of reproductive health services, friendliness of clinic staff, availability of information about reproduction and sexuality and maintenance of issues regarding confidentiality and anonymity. Quality requires the presence of trained personnel in well-equipped clinics where clients are treated courteously. To avoid issues of courtesy bias, there is a need to conduct a similar survey utilizing alternative community settings, namely homes of participants or a school.

Discussions about sexuality and gender are not recent, but scientific studies articulate education with these beautiful themes feature a significant demand, despite of the relative expansion that has occurred in these investigations in recent decades. In Sergipe, such scientific practices are part of this scenario with works such as Barreto (2009), Oliveira (2006) and Santos (2010). However, they are still rare jobs that take children as subjects of these studies. Thus, the work presented here aimed to analyze perceptions of 35 students and two teachers (one teacher that teaches Portuguese and one who teaches Physical Education and Natural Sciences), 5 year of Teaching Fundamental (EF) on sexuality and gender and the relationship of these topics with the education. We use as the main reference to sexuality and gender issues in Guacira Lopes Lobo school. For the reflection on these themes in the context of behavior, we highlight Foucault, Del Priore, Castells, among others. This is a survey of qualitative approach, which articulates the ethnographic look from the perspective of Ethnography of practice school, approved by Marli André, socio-historical approach in approximation with Bakhtin. The work has as thematic axes: a) sexuality and Body; b) views on Genus; c) sexuality, gender and School Practice. The study points out, among other things that as (the) school professionals and families of (the) students do not feel at ease when such themes are addressed in the school environment. Realizes that this uncomfortable relationship may be associated with the remnants of a design and practice of education (school and non-school) that still treats the sex, predominantly as a taboo and the sexuality as a synonym for sex. It was noticed that children´s sexuality is associated with joy or pleasure that each person expressed in different ways. However, some of them still build misconceptions or conservatives on the subject, other not yet formulated opinions due to age or to bans placed by the lack of dialogue on this subject in the school space. Is displayed if the need of transforming concepts, procedures and attitudes about sexuality and gender relations in school as a contribution to overcoming the determinism of roles and social prejudice and discrimination in policies and daily practices of society. This transformation will broaden the possibilities that the new generations to enjoy rights Human being´s fundamental, such as the right to freedom, to dignity and respect in all the forms and expressions. / As discussões sobre sexualidade e gênero não são recentes, mas os estudos científicos que articulam a educação com essas temáticas ainda apresentam uma demanda significativa, apesar da relativa ampliação que tem ocorrido nessas investigações nas últimas décadas. Em Sergipe, tais práticas científicas fazem parte deste cenário com trabalhos como o de Barreto (2009), Oliveira (2006) e Santos (2010). No entanto, ainda são raros os trabalhos que tomam crianças como sujeitos desses estudos. Assim, o trabalho aqui apresentado teve como objetivo analisar percepções de 35 discentes e duas professoras (uma docente que ensina Língua Portuguesa e uma que leciona Educação Física e Ciências Naturais), do 5º ano do Ensino Fundamental (EF), sobre sexualidade e gênero e a relação dessas temáticas com a educação. Utilizamos como principal referencial para a temática sexualidade e gênero no espaço escolar Guacira Lopes Louro. Já para a reflexão sobre essas temáticas no contexto do comportamento humano destacamos Foucault (2011), Del Priore (2011), Castells (2010), entre outros. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa, que articula o olhar etnográfico na perspectiva da etnografia da prática escolar, referendada por André (2010), com a abordagem sócio-histórica em uma aproximação com Bakhtin (2003). O trabalho tem como eixos temáticos: a) Sexualidade e Corpo; b) Visões Sobre Gênero; c) Sexualidade, Gênero e Prática Escolar. O estudo aponta, entre outras coisas, que as (os) profissionais da escola e as famílias das(os) estudantes não se sentem à vontade quando temas dessa natureza são abordados no ambiente escolar. Percebe-se que essa relação desconfortante pode estar associada aos resquícios de uma concepção e prática de educação (escolar e não escolar) que ainda trata o sexo, predominantemente, como um tabu e a sexualidade como sinônimo de sexo. Percebeu-se que para as crianças a sexualidade está associada à satisfação ou prazer que cada pessoa expressa em diferentes formas. No entanto, algumas delas ainda constroem conceitos equivocados ou conservadores sobre a temática, outras ainda não formularam opiniões devido à idade ou às proibições postas pelos responsáveis e a falta de diálogo a esse respeito no espaço escolar. Visualiza-se a necessidade de transformação de concepções, procedimentos e atitudes sobre a sexualidade humana e as relações de gênero na escola como contributo para superação do determinismo de papeis sociais e dos preconceitos e discriminações nas políticas e práticas cotidianas da sociedade. Essa transformação ampliará as possibilidades de que as novas gerações usufruam de direitos fundamentais do Ser Humano, como o direito à liberdade, à dignidade e ao respeito em todas as formas e expressões.

Orientador: Fátima Elisabeth Denari / Banca: Fábio Tadeu Reina / Banca: Everton Luís Oliveira / Resumo: A manifestação da sexualidade deve ser entendida como um processo inerente ao ser humano e expressa em cada fase do desenvolvimento de maneira natural e ampla. A sexualidade está presente em todos os ciclos da vida, independentemente de padrões de normalidade e de necessidades especiais, sejam estas físicas, mentais ou sociais. De acordo com a literatura pesquisada a sexualidade da pessoa com deficiência é vista pelos educadores, em algumas pesquisas, como "exibicionista" ou "exagerada", enquanto os pais, via de regra, encaram seus filhos como "sexualmente infantis" ou assexuados. Essa perspectiva ocorre devido a falta de informação, inclusive por parte dos pais e o estigma vivenciado por eles e seus filhos com deficiência. Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo principal investigar o que expressam os jovens com deficiência intelectual sobre sexualidade e de que forma eles a vivenciam e aprendem temas em educação sexual. Para tanto, esta pesquisa de natureza qualitativa utilizou oficinas pedagógicas como forma de aquisição de dados para análise. Participaram desta pesquisa 6 jovens entre 15 e 31 anos, com o diagnóstico de deficiência intelectual, matriculados em uma instituição especial de uma cidade de porte médio do interior do Estado de São Paulo. Foram realizadas 3 oficinas com o grupo, solicitando aos participantes que relatassem e desenhassem seu entendimento sobre o vídeo "Minha Vida de João". As temáticas ressaltadas pelos participantes durante as oficinas foram violência do... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The manifestation of sexuality must be understood as an inherent process to the human being and expressed in each stage of development in a natural and broad way. Sexuality is present in all cycles of life, regardless of normality patterns and special needs, whether physical, mental or social. According to the researched literature, the sexuality of the person with disabilities is seen by educators in some surveys as "exhibitionist" or "exaggerated", while parents as a rule view their children as "sexually childish" or asexual. This perspective occurs due to lack of information, including from the parents and the stigma experienced by them and their children with disabilities. The main objective of this research was to investigate what young people with intellectual disabilities have to say about sexuality and how they experience it and learn about sex education. For this, this qualitative research used pedagogical workshops as a way of data acquisition for analysis. Sixteen 15- to 31-year-olds with a diagnosis of intellectual disability were enrolled in a special institution of a medium-sized city in the interior of the State of São Paulo. Three workshops were held with the group, asking the participants to report and draw their understanding of the video "Minha Vida de João". The themes highlighted by the participants during the workshops were domestic violence, first sexual intercourse, gender roles and sexually transmitted diseases. The sexual education of these people is... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Using an experimental-comparison group design, data were collected at the beginning and end of a semester to assess the effect of a human sexuality course on students' sexual knowledge, sexual attitude, and sexual behaviors. Data analysis by t-tests showed statistical differences between the experimental and comparison group only on sexual knowledge scores ( p < .001), with the experimental group scoring higher. T-tests showed statistical difference between males and females in sexual attitude (p< .001) and sexual behavior (p< .001) with women scoring higher than men in the experimental group, and also when experimental and control groups were combined. Although not statistically significant, women scored higher in sexual knowledge than males.

What is missing from academia and society at large is a more holistic picture of youth sexting. Not adequately understanding youth sexting has stunted previous attempts to effectively educate young people on its potential consequences. As such, the social and legal consequences of sexting gone viral have negatively impacted countless individuals. This study offers a preliminary glimpse of the sexting phenomenon by highlighting the experiences of 20 young people. I explore emergent themes regarding the nature of youth sexting as well as the interrelations amongst privacy, relationships, and sexting. Two distinct forms of sexting emerged from participant narratives, opening the door for more open-minded discussions and social policies cognizant of both the positive and negative outcomes of electronic forms of sexual communication. In general, participant discourse on youth sexting demonstrates a need for more research on the topic as well as updated forms of sexting education in schools and amongst families.

Adolescent pregnancy is a worldwide problem. This study attempted to describe and explore the knowledge of female adolescents in Angola's knowledge with regard to contraception. The research results, obtained from interview schedules, revealed that the respondents lacked knowledge about themselves as adolescents as well as a lack of knowledge of their reproductive health and development. Furthermore, the results portrayed a lack of knowledge of contraceptives. The study findings may assist health care providers to identify educational programmes on contraception at schools, markets and in the community. / Health Studies / Thesis (M.A. (Health Studies))

Adolescent pregnancy is a worldwide problem. This study attempted to describe and explore the knowledge of female adolescents in Angola's knowledge with regard to contraception. The research results, obtained from interview schedules, revealed that the respondents lacked knowledge about themselves as adolescents as well as a lack of knowledge of their reproductive health and development. Furthermore, the results portrayed a lack of knowledge of contraceptives. The study findings may assist health care providers to identify educational programmes on contraception at schools, markets and in the community. / Health Studies / Thesis (M.A. (Health Studies))

This study explored knowledge, perceptions and attitudes regarding contraception and contraceptive practices among secondary school learners in the Limpopo Province. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 612 Grade 8 and 332 Grade 12 learners from 24 randomly selected secondary schools. The study found that permissive attitudes prevailed towards sex, characterised by casual sexual activities commencing at 12 years of age. The availability of contraceptive and termination of pregnancy (TOP) services did not enable learners to utilise them, because of social, cultural, financial and service barriers. Most learners were sexually active without being knowledgeable about contraceptives, emergency contraceptives and TOP services. Two workshops conducted with learners produced similar results to those obtained from the completed questionnaires. Semi-structured interviews conducted with nurses, providing contraceptive and TOP services in the Limpopo Province, also substantiated the findings from the questionnaires. Secondary school learners in the Limpopo Province require more knowledge about and ready access to contraceptives to enable them to delay child bearing until they are emotionally, financially and physically ready for these responsibilities. Nurses and teachers in this province can enhance the learners' contraceptive knowledge and utilisation to help learners make better informed decisions about their own and their future children's lives. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Early engagement in sexual activities amongst adolescents has become a worldwide concern, with studies finding them to begin as early as 12 or earlier (Booysen & Summerton, 2000; Dowsett & Aggleton, 1999). The behaviour becomes even more concerning when youths engage in sexual relationships which are considered as “risky”, that is, that put their health and wellbeing in danger. According to Trends (2010), such behaviour increases one’s risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model, this study investigated risky sexual behaviours amongst adolescents living in the rural areas. The motivation was twofold, namely: to change the behaviours and to strengthen school sexuality education programme. The study aligned itself to qualitative paradigm and adopted a case study design. Data was collected using focus interviews with 20 adolescents (10 boys and 10 girls) in the age range of 15-17 years, who were selected following purposive sampling. The findings revealed adolescents’ tendencies of engaging in risky sexual behaviours such as: sexual relationship with older people, involvement with multiple partners, unstable relationship, pornography, sex in exchange of money. Factors contributing to these behaviours include: limited sexuality education, parents not teaching about sexuality education, lack of good role models, poverty, and fear to disclose problems to teachers, ostentatious lifestyles, peer pressure, and myths about sex. Suggestions put forth for preventing involving risky sexual behaviours include: appropriate school programmes, good learner-teacher relationship, effective communication with parents, strengthening of the learning content of Life Orientation, discipline at home, good friends, closing down of illegal taverns, illegalising sex with young boys and girls and restricting access to pornography on the internet. In conclusion, I suggest that the problem be addressed ecosystematically. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study aimed at exploring perceptions of young adults with regard to condom use in Vhembe district, Limpopo province. With the help of a quantitative, cross sectional descriptive design approach, data were collected using structured questionnaires administered to 372 young adults who came for healthcare services at a selected clinic. The findings indicated that there is a relationship between positive perceptions toward condom use and actual condom use. It means that people who have positive attitudes toward condoms are also more likely to use them. In contrast, people with a negative attitude towards condoms are less likely to use them during sexual intercourse. Negative attitudes of health care providers were found to be the barrier that prevents sexually active individuals to access condoms in primary health care facilities. Re-training of health care providers to address negative attitude is a matter of priority. Mass media can also be used as an avenue to communicate consistent and correct condom use. / Health Studies / M. A. (Nursing Science)