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)

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)

The increase in teenage pregnancy among school going learners is reported in the media as a crisis. Politicians and other stakeholders have also raised their views and concerns about pregnancy. In particular, these views and concerns perceive teenage pregnancy among school going learners as a cancer that needs a remedy because it has negative consequences for the learners, in particular the girl child. However, for all the sense of public crisis concerning sexuality and schooling, the voices of young people themselves regarding their own sexual subjectivity are seldom heard. This study focused on how girls in a former model C all girls high school negotiate and make sense of the meaning of the messages that they receive from the formal curriculum. The concept of student sexual cultures was employed in this study. Student sexual cultures are the informal groups that exist in the school and the girls take part in it. It is in these groups that the girls learn about sexuality and also make sense of their own gendered identities. This study employed ethnographic techniques of classroom observation coupled with in-depth interviews, focus groups and solicited narratives in order to understand how the participants experience and "take up" the messages they receive in the formal sexuality education component of the Life Orientation (LO) curriculum. The data was collected over a period of three months and was analysed using a directed content analysis. Four dominant themes emerged from the study. Firstly, the data reveals the school is a space of competing and conflicting discourses of sexuality and the learners are involved in a constant negotiation of the meanings of the messages. Secondly, the data shows the contested and confirmations of learners subjectivity. It shows that learners are regarded as sexual beings both in the formal and informal school cultures but there are limitations around one's sexual subjectivities. Thirdly, the data reveals that the school is a site in which a variety of femininities are reproduced, contested and struggled over. Femininities are constructed in the complex context of the school thus the school emerges as a site in which multiple femininities intersect with class, race and sexuality. Lastly, this study argues for the incorporation of the discourse of erotics in the formal curriculum which allows young people's voices to be heard. This approach (discourse of erotics) can be seen as a process of becoming, which focuses on possibilities of improving sexuality education as opposed to an imposed sexual model that is applied to young people and assumed to be the solution to young people's sexuality.

Teenage pregnancy is one of the social and health problems in many communities of South Africa and is escalating (Richter, 2005). Teenage pregnancy is also a global health problem as it affects the whole world and has been a concern to health workers like medical doctors, nurses, community developers, educators and parents (Maholo, 2009). In addition, the risk of dropping out of school due to pregnancy is considerable to teenagers as it results in a lack of qualifications and future unemployment.The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions and experience of teenage fathers who are both learners and fathers and their views on the effects of teenage pregnancy. Furthermore, this investigation was undertaken to investigate the implications of teenage fathers‘ experiences on sex education. This study followed qualitative research approach as it is based on male teenage pregnancy which is a real consequence of teenagers engaging in sexual activities (Silverman, 2006). In this study the data collected through in depth interviews and personal journals were analyzed.This study revealed that all the teenage fathers interviewed were not happy that they were teenage fathers instead they were disappointed, shocked, and regretful and did not believe that they could become fathers at their respective ages. They also regretted themselves for becoming teenage fathers as it delays them in their studies. They have been taught about sex education at school in a learning area called life orientation so they do not blame school but themselves for their actions.

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / Background: Adolescent sexual health is fundamental to the physical and emotional health, and well-being of individuals, couples, and families, as well as the social and economic development of communities and countries. The purpose and the aim of this study was to explore and describe the community’s perceptions of adolescent sexual health in Mutale Municipality, Vhembe District of Limpopo Province. Methodology: The research design of this study was qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. The population comprised of every adult community member or resident of Tshiungani Village. Both genders were included in the sample. Parents and guardians of adolescents made up the sample. Data were collected by means of in-depth face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed qualitatively using Teschs’ qualitative analysis. Findings: The study involved six themes, six categories and nineteen sub-themes. The community expressed concerns related to degradation of cultural norms and values, change in family structure, effects of media, politics, religion and poverty as affecting adolescent sexual health. Conclusion: The study explored and described the perceptions of community members regarding adolescent sexual health although the findings could not be generalized as it represents only part of the population. Recommendations: The study recommended intense sexual health education and promotion at early primary phase, career guidance to enhance and promote selfesteem, parental and community involvement in assisting and engaging adolescents with life skills within communities.

MA (Sociology) / Department of Sociology / This study aims to investigate the socio-cultural influence towards the risky sexual behaviour of adolescents in eSikhaleni, in context of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS epidemic. The study will adapt a qualitative approach. It is an explanatory study goes beyond simple description to model empirically the phenomenon under study. The participants were drawn from two categories. The participants for the key informant interviews were selected purposively and they include community leaders, high schools principals and life orientation teachers. The adolescent’s learners were selected using a snowball sampling technique. Data was analysed thematically, matrices were created using to content thematic analysis. The responses were grouped thematically. Broad categories were then generated to differentiate and explain the thoughts expressed by the respondents. Invitations to participate on the study were sent to respondents by submitting informed consent electronically and in person. When participants completed the structured interview they were not required to reveal their personal or contact details. The findings of the study reveals that risky sexual behavior amongst adolescents learners is as a result of a number of factors which include the diminishing role of parenting, death of morality in society, poverty and deprivation just to name a few. The recommendations advanced speak to the need for government to have a multipronged strategy of resolving the problem.

MPH / Department of Public Health / The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among High Schools has reached an epidemic level, calling for public health intervention. The study purpose was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and risk behaviours related to STIs among learners at a selected high school in Collins Chabane Municipality. A quantitative-descriptive study was carried among 2018 officially registered high school learners in Malamulele. Malamulele West was conveniently selected because of the accessibility and Photani High School was selected purposefully. A simple-random sampling technique was used to select 252 respondents. Data collected with self-administered questionnaires was analysed using SPSS software version 25.0, the response rate was 100%. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationships between more categorical variables. Statistical significance level was set at p<0.05. Majority (63.1%) of the respondents never knew of STIs. Majority of respondents (31%) incorrectly identified the types and causative organisms of STIs. Poor knowledge on the modes of transmission was found amongst 73% of the population. Majority of the respondents (67%) did now know that STIs are infections. A large proportion (54%) had a positive attitude on STIs as they emphasised the importance of STI screening. Misconceptions regarding STIs is rife, 61% and 59.9% of the respondents believed preventing STIs by going to church every Sunday and sleeping with virgins respectively. 95.6%) were sexual active and 29% of the respondents had poor knowledge on risk sexual behaviours. Respondents had adequate knowledge regarding treatment as 56% of the respondents reported knowing where to seek treatment. However, 92.1% respondents reported bad treatment by nurses. Each high school should be allocated a social worker and a nurse for the coordination of awareness campaigns on STIs. Churches should offer formal programs regarding STIs to their congregants in collaboration with universities and clinics. / NRF

This study evaluates a sex education programme administered in an Indian high school. To this end, a literature search, empirical study and qualitative data were used to measure the effectiveness of the Education for Living programme. Adolescents are blamed for having pennissive attitudes, or for indulging in amoral sexual behaviour without considering the consequences. The fact is, sexual development of young people is affected in a fundamental sense by what is taking place around them. Many of the taboos, which operated in society years ago, have disappeared. This study looks into the history of the South African Indian community. In particular, this study focuses on the community's values, attitudes and traditional practices toward sexuality, sex and marriage. It further highlights how the processes of westemisation and modernisation have eroded many of these aspects of traditional Indian culture. The study concludes by examining the emergence of new-found patterns of behaviour and attitudes. It is not the intention of this study to provide any conclusive documentation on the subject of the Indian adolescent. However the major findings of this study have been fommlated as recommendations and implications for further research. Since sexuality is an ever-changing, life-long experience, there is a need for continuous acquisition of accurate sexual knowledge. Carefully designed programmes may serve to allay fears, dispel myths, diminish confusion, enhance communication within families and promote health and wellbeing across generations. / Social Work / M.A. (SS) (Mental Health)

Contraceptives are available free of charge throughout South Africa. Nevertheless the number of requests for termination of pregnancy (TOP) services continues to increase. This research investigated challenges preventing women from using contraceptives effectively. Structured interviews were conducted with 47 women who requested TOP services. Gender and financial issues posed challenges for some women to access contraceptives as well as their reported inability to access contraceptives. Most (85,5%) of the respondents used contraceptives. They discontinued using contraceptives because they experienced side-effects, necessitating them to request TOPs. Knowledge about, access to, nor the actual use of contraceptive enabled these women to prevent unwanted pregnancies. More effective counselling about the side-effects of contraceptives and enhanced accessibility of contraceptives during weekends and lunch breaks could enable more women to prevent unwanted pregnancies and reduce the number of requests for TOPs in the Gert Sibande District (Mpumalanga). / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of this study was to explore possible problems associated with pregnancy amongst student nurses in the Northern Province, and to determine whether their studies were adversely affected by their pregnancies. This study was designed as a quantitative, exploratory descriptive survey to look into the pregnancies of a specific group of students exploring their experiences in the classrooms and in the clinical areas. During 1998 data was collected by distributing questionnaires to ninety three pregnant . student nurses. Sixty-seven (71,0%) of student nurses fell pregnant because they lacked knowledge about contraceptives. Four-six (49,5%) of the respondents delayed seeking antenatal care, although they needed advice and support. Whilst fifty-eight (62,4%) of the respondents suffered from minor ailments such as tiredness, pre-eclampsia, early bleeding prior to three months pregnancy, and dizziness. Fifty-eight (62,4%) of the respondents encountered problems with their academic progress, as revealed by decreasing marks scored before, during, and after delivery. Student nurses would willingly avail themselves of guidance, advice and support during their pregnancies if they could access such services. / Advanced Nursing Science / M.A.(Nursing Science)