Correct and consistent condom use is an effective strategy for the reduction of adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The purpose of this study was to describe the factors that contribute to unsafe sex practices among adolescents and to compare male and female sexual practices. Quantitative, descriptive research, namely a survey was conducted to determine these practices. Convenience sampling was used to select a sample (n=324) of respondents who were willing to participate in the study. Data were collected by using a self-administered structured questionnaire. The findings of the study revealed that adolescents indulged in unsafe sex practices for various reasons including the desire for self-satisfaction and the non-availability of condoms at the time. Based on the identified reasons, it is clear that strategies had to be developed to curb unsafe sex and its consequences. Formulating these strategies requires the concerted effort of all policy makers and stakeholders. / Health Studies / (M.A. (Public Health))

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, it is important to understand the sexual behaviours that place youth at risk of HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unwanted pregnancies in order to develop and implement appropriate health-promoting interventions. Parents are in a unique position to help adolescents to have responsible attitudes and behaviour towards sex, and to educate adolescents into healthy sexual adults. The study aimed to investigate parent-adolescent communication and adolescents’ sexual risk-taking behaviour, and the relationship between them. An exploratory, descriptive research design and a quantitative methodological approach were used. One biographical questionnaire, three measuring scales of parent-adolescent communication and one questionnaire about adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviour were used as measuring instruments. Data from 95 female adolescents who were attending the family planning facilities of two clinics in the Metropole Region of the Western Cape were employed for the study. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlations, analyses of variance and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed a high prevalence of sexual risk-taking behaviours among adolescents in the Western Cape. Family environment characteristics, especially the parents’ marital status, play a significant role in both parent-adolescent communication and sexual risk-taking behaviour. Unexpected findings were some significant correlations that were found between different factors of both general and sexual parent-adolescent communication. Spearman’s correlations and best subsets multiple regression analysis were performed on the data to ascertain which factors are significantly correlated or associated with adolescent sexual risk-taking behaviour. In both statistical analyses, the amount of parent-adolescent communication about sexual issues was the most important. A significant negative correlation between adolescents’ sexual risk-taking behaviours and the amount of parent-adolescent communication about sexual issues illustrates the positive influence of amount of parent-adolescent sexual communication on adolescents’ sexual risk-taking behaviour. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die groeiende MIV/VIGS epidemie in Suid-Afrika is dit belangrik om te verstaan watter gedrag jong mense in gevaar stel om MIV of ander seksueel oordraagbare siektes op te doen of om ongewens swanger te word om daardeur programme wat hierdie gedrag verminder, te kan ontwikkel en implementeer. Ouers is in ‘n unieke posisie om te verseker dat hulle adolessente kinders verantwoordelike houdings en optrede teenoor seks ontwikkel en om hulle op te voed tot volwassenes wat ‘n gesonde houding tot seks het. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die verhouding tussen ouer-adolessente kommunikasie en die seksuele waaggedrag van jong mense te ondersoek en die verhouding tussen hulle te bepaal. ‘n Ondersoekende, beskrywende navorsingsontwerp en ‘n kwantitatiewe metodologiese benadering is gebruik. ‘n Biografiese vraelys, drie vraelyste oor ouer-adolessente kommunikasie en een vraelys oor die seksuele waaggedrag van jong mense is deur 95 adolessente meisies voltooi wat die gesinsbeplanningsfasiliteite by twee klinieke in die Wes-Kaapse metropool besoek het. Die data is ontleed deur die berekening van Spearman (Rho)-korrelasies, variansieontleding, meervoudige regressie-analise en beskrywende statistiek. Die bevindings dui op ‘n hoë voorkoms van seksuele waaggedrag onder adolessente in die Wes-Kaap. Gesinsomstandighede, veral die ouers se huwelikstatus, speel ‘n belangrike rol in ouer-adolessente kommunikasie en seksuele waaggedrag. Onvoorsiene bevindings was die beduidende korrelasies tussen verskillende faktore van beide algemene en seksuele ouer-adolessente kommunikasie. Spearman-korrelasies en best subsets meervoudige regressie-analise is op die data uitgevoer om te bepaal watter faktore betekenisvol met adolessente waaggedrag korreleer of daarmee geassosieer is. In beide statistiese analises is gevind dat die hoeveelheid ouer-adolessente kommunikasie oor seksuele kwessies die belangrikste was. Daar was ‘n statisties beduidende negatiewe korrelasie tussen die adolessent se seksuele waaggedrag en die hoeveelheid kommunikasie tussen die ouer en adolessent oor seks, wat beteken dat adolessente minder seksuele waaggedrag sal vertoon indien hulle ouers meer met hulle oor seksuele sake sal praat.

Thesis (MCur)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Research and in certain instances the lack of research as well as extensive experience of the researcher in this field of study convinced the researcher that a scientific study / exploration is critical on the different aspects of adolescent sexual health. A study, based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods (triangulation), was conducted to identify and describe the factors playing a role in adolescents’ experiencing problems in maintaining their sexual health. Adolescents are at risk of contracting Sexually Transmitted Diseases including HIV/AIDS because of their sexual behaviour. Initiation of early sexual relations contributing to possible multiple sexual partners and failure to consistently use condoms contribute to this risk. Failure to continuously use a reliable contraceptive method also enhances the risk of unintended pregnancies and consequent exposure to the risks involved in termination of pregnancy or the psychological effects of giving the baby up for adoption, the hardship of raising the baby as a single parent or being forced to marry at a young age. Thus the physical-, emotional-, and social well being of the adolescent is at risk when they are not equipped to maintain their sexual health.The study concludes that adolescents that are sexually active and have multiple sexual partners have a higher probability of not maintaining their sexual health. Based on the outcome of this study the researcher feels strongly that the following needs to be addressed in order to promote the maintenance of adolescent sexual health: • Professional nurses need to be trained and sensitized to guide and manage adolescents seeking sexual or reproductive advice; • Sexuality programmes need to be integrated into school curricula; • Positive use of the mass media to promote healthy lifestyles; and • Training programmes for parents and adolescents. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Navorsing en in sekere gevalle die gebrek daaraan sowel as ekstensiewe ondervinding van die navorser in die studieveld, het die navorser oortuig dat ‘n wetenskaplike studie / eksplorasie oor die veskillende aspekte van adolessente seksuele gesondheid krities was. ‘n Studie, gebaseer op ‘n kombinasie van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodes (triangulasie), was uitgevoer om die faktore wat ‘n rol speel in adolessente se vermoëns om hul seksuele gesondheid te handhaaf, te identifiseer en te bepreek. Adolessente se risiko is hoog om Seksueel Oordraagbare siektes, insluitend MIV/VIGS, op te doen weens hul seksuele gedrag. Die aanvang van vroeë seksuele verhoudings dra by tot moontlike meervoudige seksmaats en die gebrek aan konsekwente gebruik van kondome verhoog die risiko. Gebrek aan die aaneenlopende gebruik van ‘n betroubare kontraseptiewe metode verhoog ook die risiko van ‘n ongewensde swangerskap en gevolglike blootstelling aan die risiko’s verbonde aan terminasie van swangerskap of die psigologiese effekte wat gepaard gaan met aanneming, enkel ouerskap en geforseerde trou op ‘n vroeë ouderdom. Derhalwe word die fisiese-, emosionele- en sosiale welsyn van die adolessent bedreig as hulle nie toegerus is om hul seksuele gesondheid te handhaaf nie.Die gevolgtrekking van die studie is dat adolessente wat seksueel aktief is en meervoudige seksmaats het, ‘n hoër waarskynlikheid het om nie hul seksuele gesondheid te handhaaf nie. Gebaseer op die uitkoms van die studie is die navorser van mening dat die volgende aangespreek moet word ten einde die handhawing van adolessente seksuele gesondheid te bevorder: • Geregistreerde vepleegkundiges moet opgelei en gesensitiseer word om adolessente te hanteer en van leiding te voorsien; • Seksualitiet programme moet in die skool kurrikulum integreer word; • Positiewe gebruik van die massa media om gesonde lewenstyle te bevorder; en • Opleidingsprogramme vir ouers en adolessente.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken to address the need for a multi-sectoral approach to sexuality education among adolescents. The rise in teenage pregnancies and the rapid spread of the HIV virus urged the researcher to assess how different sectors within communities can work together to sexually educate adolescents. The goal of the research is to initiate planning of prevention- and educational strategies among all sectors of the community. It is hoped that these programmes may provide adolescents with the necessary skills to make informed decisions regarding their sexuality. The use of a multi-sectoral approach to sexuality education was evaluated by means of a exploratory study and a comparison between the findings of questionnaires and existing literature. In chapter two the nature of sexuality education is assessed. Chapter three focuses on the specific multi-sectoral approach to this sexuality education. In chapter four the findings of the empirical study is discussed. Recommendations for further research is made in chapter five. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die behoefte vir ’n multi-sektorale benadering tot seksualiteitsopvoeding was die hoof uitgangspunt van die studie. Met die verhoging in tienerswangerskappe en die verspreiding van die MIV-virus was dit vir die navorser belangrik om ondersoek in te stel na hoe verskillende sektore in die gemeenskap kan saamwerk om sodoende adolessente van seksualiteitsopvoeding te voorsien. Hierdie navorsing het ten doel om ’n raamwerk vir maatskaplike werkers in diens van gesinsorganisasies daar te stel vir die benutting van ’n multi-sektorale benadering tot seksualiteitsopvoedingsprogramme vir adolessente. Holistiese, jeugvriendelike intervensie en dienslewering deur multi-sektorale samewerking word ten doel gestel. By wyse van ’n verkennende studie asook ’n vergelyking tussen die bevindinge van vraelyste en bestaande literatuur was die kwessie rondom die benutting van ’n multisektorale benadering tot seksualiteitsopvoedingsprogramme geevalueer. In hoofstuk twee behandel die skrywer die aard van seksualiteitsopvoedingsprogramme en fokus op ’n multi-sektorale benadering tot sodanige programme in hoofstuk drie. ’n Bespreking oor die empiriese ondersoek wat geloots is word in hoofstuk vier gegee en in hoofstuk vyf word aanbevelings vir verdere studie gemaak.

Refugees are not a new phenomenon and their plight has been felt the world over. Africa continues to see large numbers of people displaced through armed conflict, producing more refugees on the worlds&rsquo / most poverty stricken continent than any other.<br /> The implications of these displacements of people dislocated from their places of habitual residence create much concern, particularly in the wake of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Such dislocations and displacements imply separation from family and communities, including socio-economic benefits that accrue to them. There is an apparent problem of accessing health services, educational services, sources of livelihood and protection from sexual and emotional abuse. Refugee children and women are said to be the most vulnerable, although until recently adolescents in armed conflict were not considered as a<br /> special group of children requiring special attention. The main objective of this research was to investigate levels of risk for HIV among refugee adolescents in Zambia and to determine how location relates to risk. Of particular interest was the difference in risk experienced in rural and urban areas. The researcher&rsquo / s hypothesis was that refugee adolescents in rural camps of Zambia are at greater risk because they lack adequate sources of income, health, and education in comparison to urban areas. The research was located within two theoretical underpinnings namely the social cognitive theory and the AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM). The theory posits that a reciprocal relationship exists between environmental contexts, personal factors and behavior. The model explains how people change behavior that reduces risk for HIV by changing perceptions on sexual activity and when they enact the knowledge obtained from HIV preventive programmes. The methodology was located within both the qualitative and quantitative research<br /> approaches. Qualitative because firstly, the research is a comparative case study and secondly, it is the first time such a study is being conducted. The researcher also made use of the quantitative through the survey and secondary HIV/AIDS statistical data.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the field of Demography and Population Studies, 2016 / Background: Risky behaviours are notably the most important factors contributing to negative health outcomes among adolescents. A number of diseases and deaths have been linked to risky and harmful behaviours. Research has shown that being involved in one risky behaviour increases the likelihood of involvement in additional risky behaviours. Adolescents have been identified at the centre of sustainable development, particularly in achieving goals related to bringing poverty to an end, promoting health and well-being, attaining equitable and quality primary and secondary education as well as achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Objectives: The objective of this study was firstly to examine the levels of social association membership and risky behaviour among adolescents. Secondly, to identify the determinants of risky behaviour among South African adolescents and lastly, to examine the relationship between social association membership and risky behaviour among adolescents. Methods: Data were drawn from the South African Youth Life Style Survey of 2008. A sample of 3335 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years was analysed. Four binary and one multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted. The four binary dependent variables were for risky sexual behaviours, risky substance use behaviours, other risky behaviours and engaging in at least one type of behaviour. For each of these binary dependent variables the response category was yes or no. The dependent variable for the multinomial logistic regression model was any adolescent risky behaviour which was categorised as; no behaviour, any one category of behaviour, any two categories of behaviour and all three categories of behaviour. The key independent variables were firstly an index variable generated by merging all the different social associations into one variable that had the response yes or no to being a member of any social association. There were also five key independent variables that were the individual social associations namely; sports, religious groups, choir, drama and other associations. Results: The two most common social associations that adolescents engaged in were sports groups (515 per 1000 adolescents) and religious groups (342 per 1000 adolescents). Risky vii behaviours with the highest number adolescents engaging in them were driving without a seatbelt (32%), consuming alcohol (32%), being a passenger in a car driven by someone under the influence of alcohol (28%), tobacco use (21%) and lack of condom use (9%). Adolescents who were not members of social associations were found to have decreased the risk of engaging in one, two and all three categories of risky behaviours. Not being a member of religious groups increased the risk of engaging in one, two and all three categories of risky behaviour. Adolescents who were not members of sports groups were found to have lower risks of engaging in one, two and all three categories of risky behaviour, as well as decreased odds of engaging in at least one type of risky behaviour. Conclusion: The study found that there was a statistically significant relationship between social association membership and risky behaviours among adolescents in South Africa. More particularly, religious associations were found to be protective factors to risky behaviours and sports, drama and other associations were found to be platforms that could potentially increase the likelihood of risky behaviour among adolescents. / GR2017

The purpose of this cross-sectional and exploratory study was to describe an interaction model of parental and adolescent attributes and sexual communication influences on intentions for contraception and condom use in Mexican high school students between 14 and 17 years of age. This study utilized a secondary analysis of data from an existing experimental study. Concepts from the Theory of Planned Behavior, the Social Cognitive Theory, and the Ecodevelopmental Theory provided the contexts with which to guide this study. The study sample consisted of 756 adolescents and their parents. A SEM model building approach was used to guide the analyses. The model fit indices suggested that the sample data did not have an acceptable fit to the combined measurement model (X²[subscript (30)] = 92.215, p = 0.0000, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.05, SRMR= 0.04). Based on the correlation coefficients, the observed variables of parents' and adolescents' familialism and religiosity and adolescents' intentions for contraception and condom use were excluded from the structural equation modeling analyses. Two alternative models were constructed form the original and both had an acceptable fit, but based on the theoretical background, one was selected (X²[subscript (15)] = 27.289, p = .0265, CFI = .99, TLI = .99, RMSEA = .03, SRMR = .02). The revised model parents' attributes (self-efficacy for sex communication and beliefs toward sex) showed a strong relationship (r = 0.80) with parents' sexual communication (communication about sex and comfort with sex communication). An additional moderately strong correlation was found between adolescents' sexual communication (communication about sex and comfort with sex communication) and parents' sexual communication (r = .31). Although the final model in this study did not explain the direct and mediator effects on adolescents' intentions for contraception and condom use, findings add new information in relation to the phenomenon of parent-adolescent communication about sex in Mexico. Several conclusions were also drawn from the relationships among parents' attributes, adolescents' attributes, parents' sexual communication, adolescents' sexual communication, and adolescents' intentions for contraception and condom use. Findings from this study are congruent with similar research and can be useful in developing intervention programs to prevent HIV/AIDS in Mexican adolescents.

Over the past two decades, communities across the nation have been mired in battles over sexuality, including gay rights, censorship, and sex education. Based on indepth interview data with 47 racially and economically diverse parents of teenagers, this study explores how parents make sense of and try to guide their children's sexuality in the midst of these hotly contested and politically charged debates. The findings highlight a paradox in parents' understandings of their children's sexuality: the parents interviewed for this study do not think of their own children as sexual subjects, even as they construct adolescents, in general, as highly sexual and sexualized. The author explores this paradox throughout the dissertation. She argues that parents' understandings reflect the complex interplay of myriad forces: these include the culture of sexual fear in the U.S.; dominant understandings of adolescence; gender, race, class, and sexual inequalities; and a pervasive American individualist ethos that situates the blame for any negative outcomes of teen sexuality on parents and their children. At the same time, however, these constructions often bolster social inequality. As the author shows, parents' understandings of adolescent sexuality, and their lessons to their children about sexuality, are not only shaped by, but also serve to legitimize, hierarchies and inequalities based on race, class, gender, sexuality, and age. The final chapter discusses the specific social and cultural conditions that might enable parents to think of their children as sexual subjects. / text

Refugees are not a new phenomenon and their plight has been felt the world over. Africa continues to see large numbers of people displaced through armed conflict, producing more refugees on the worlds&rsquo / most poverty stricken continent than any other.<br /> The implications of these displacements of people dislocated from their places of habitual residence create much concern, particularly in the wake of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Such dislocations and displacements imply separation from family and communities, including socio-economic benefits that accrue to them. There is an apparent problem of accessing health services, educational services, sources of livelihood and protection from sexual and emotional abuse. Refugee children and women are said to be the most vulnerable, although until recently adolescents in armed conflict were not considered as a<br /> special group of children requiring special attention. The main objective of this research was to investigate levels of risk for HIV among refugee adolescents in Zambia and to determine how location relates to risk. Of particular interest was the difference in risk experienced in rural and urban areas. The researcher&rsquo / s hypothesis was that refugee adolescents in rural camps of Zambia are at greater risk because they lack adequate sources of income, health, and education in comparison to urban areas. The research was located within two theoretical underpinnings namely the social cognitive theory and the AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM). The theory posits that a reciprocal relationship exists between environmental contexts, personal factors and behavior. The model explains how people change behavior that reduces risk for HIV by changing perceptions on sexual activity and when they enact the knowledge obtained from HIV preventive programmes. The methodology was located within both the qualitative and quantitative research<br /> approaches. Qualitative because firstly, the research is a comparative case study and secondly, it is the first time such a study is being conducted. The researcher also made use of the quantitative through the survey and secondary HIV/AIDS statistical data.

The study considered the prevalence of risky sexual behaviour in child headed families that usually affects the adolescents in South Africa. This study aimed at exploring the prevalence of risky sexual behaviour in child headed families, determining the causal factors of sexual promiscuous behaviour and effects of promiscuity. The area of investigation was Qora Village which is in a small town called Idutywa, Eastern Cape. This is an area that is characterised by poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. The sample was comprised of 50 participants and the study was conducted in two phases using mixed methods approach. Social exchange theory underpinned the study. Findings highlighted that these child headed adolescents had a role of caregivers and due to poverty they practiced risky sexual behaviour to bridge the economic gap. Furthermore, teenagers living in child headed families were likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour with people who are older than them; others are forced and coerced; while others perceive such act as a better option to bridge the economic gap that existed within their family backgrounds.