Teenagers have the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases of any age group. Factors responsible for this include sexual experimentation which often follows Initiation of intercourse and adolescents reluctance to use contraceptives. Teenagers are typically reluctant to consider the possibility that a potential sex partner may have a sexually transmitted disease and often lack the communication skills necessary to discuss this possibility, placing them at even greater risk of contracting one. A large percentage of teenagers are engaging in risky sexual practices. Teenagers cite lack of sexual education from more reliable sources like their parents and schools. They receive most of their sexual information from their peers and the massive mass media. The information received from these sources is usually sensational and misleading. Parents keep the children ignorant because they are of the opinion that less sexual knowledge will be more protecting. They fear that if they inform their children about sex they will go out and experiment. Therefore parents are not talking to their children about sex because most cultures and mostly in the Black community it is taboo to talk to children about sexual issues or matters. Therefore because of lack of sexual education teenagers are at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, abortion, prostitution and sexual abuse. Sexual education should start at an early age most preferably at nursery school level. If children are given factual information about sex they will know how to handle their sexuality. They will not be pressurised to indulge in pre-marital sex by their peers. Therefore, information should be provided by parents and schools as most teenagers prefer to receive their sex information from a more reliable source. / M.A. (SW) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2004

Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T11:09:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-02-28Bitstream added on 2014-11-10T11:58:24Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000793641.pdf: 1558340 bytes, checksum: 5497c4bd0f4c7c9a8f8c1331b9cd72c0 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A prevenção das condutas de risco do uso abusivo de drogas e sexo desprotegido não é percebida como ponto importante a ser trabalhado nas escolas. Pretende-se, assim, contribuir, sinalizando a prevenção como algo que deve fazer parte da rotina escolar. Nesse sentido, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar um programa de sensibilização de professores e alunos multiplicadores para prevenção de duas condutas de risco, o uso abusivo de drogas e o sexo desprotegido, constituindo-se por oficinas grupais coordenadas por professores, alunos multiplicadores e a pesquisadora e nas ações dos multiplicadores num Colégio de uma organização militar. Assim, primeiramente, foi feita uma caracterização do perfil socioeconômico, do uso de álcool e condutas sexuais com os estudantes do primeiro e do segundo ano do Ensino Médio. Seguiu-se, então, com trabalhos de sensibilização dos professores e dos alunos que seriam multiplicadores e, depois das oficinas grupais, concomitantemente ocorreram ações dos multiplicadores como distribuição de preservativo e discussão em sala... / didn't open space during your class for the discussion about the questions of doubt. Thus, it is concluded that it is necessary a recognition of society regarding the importance of working these themes in school and include them in the initial training in the areas of education and health, in addition to the process of continuing education for educators. Finally, it points out that the youth protagonism in health education can become an effective proponent for prevention of risk behaviours in school when there are social recognition of this proposal.

Orientador: Raul Aragão Martins / Banca: Patrícia Unger Raphael Bataglia / Banca: Rita Melissa Lepre / Banca: Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini Campos / Banca: Liana Abrão Romera / Resumo: A prevenção das condutas de risco do uso abusivo de drogas e sexo desprotegido não é percebida como ponto importante a ser trabalhado nas escolas. Pretende-se, assim, contribuir, sinalizando a prevenção como algo que deve fazer parte da rotina escolar. Nesse sentido, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar um programa de sensibilização de professores e alunos multiplicadores para prevenção de duas condutas de risco, o uso abusivo de drogas e o sexo desprotegido, constituindo-se por oficinas grupais coordenadas por professores, alunos multiplicadores e a pesquisadora e nas ações dos multiplicadores num Colégio de uma organização militar. Assim, primeiramente, foi feita uma caracterização do perfil socioeconômico, do uso de álcool e condutas sexuais com os estudantes do primeiro e do segundo ano do Ensino Médio. Seguiu-se, então, com trabalhos de sensibilização dos professores e dos alunos que seriam multiplicadores e, depois das oficinas grupais, concomitantemente ocorreram ações dos multiplicadores como distribuição de preservativo e discussão em sala... / Abstract: didn't open space during your class for the discussion about the questions of doubt. Thus, it is concluded that it is necessary a recognition of society regarding the importance of working these themes in school and include them in the initial training in the areas of education and health, in addition to the process of continuing education for educators. Finally, it points out that the youth protagonism in health education can become an effective proponent for prevention of risk behaviours in school when there are social recognition of this proposal. / Doutor

This study investigated attitudes toward personal use of premarital contraception among sexually active adolescent males and females. All students within the selected classrooms were asked to complete questionnaires assessing attitudes toward contraception, contraceptive knowledge, and sociodemographic and sex-related life history variables. Subjects were rated with regard to their effectiveness of contraception (high, moderate, or low). Separate univariate analyses indicated the following: The low effectiveness group was more likely to perceive responsibility for contraception as belonging to the "opposite gender." Contraception attitudes and knowledge were positively related. Females were more knowledgable about contraception and has more favorable attitudes than males.

This study describes the HIV/AIDS knowledge of Form 1 secondary school learners in Harare. Structured interviews were conducted with 75 learners from four schools representing a low density, a high density, a rural and a private school. Most learners had obtained their HIVAIDS knowledge from schools and a few did so from their parents. None of the learners had reportedly yet engaged in sexual activities and all had heard about HIV, but not all knew what HIV was, and even fewer could define AIDS. Generally the learners’ HIV/AIDS knowledge levels were high but some misconceptions persisted. Future programmes should emphasise that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, and that condoms should be used at every sexual encounter. Radio, television and school programmes should emphasise that every person can become infected with HIV/AIDS, if preventive measures are disregarded. / Public Health / M.A. (Public Health)

This study described sexual behaviours among adolescents living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Zimbabwe. This study utilised a quantitative descriptive design. Data was collected using structured questionnaires from 341 adolescents living with HIV. Findings revealed that some adolescents were sexually active and had early onset of sexual activity (before their sixteenth birthday). A good proportion of sexually active adolescents were noted not to practise safer sex and the main reason was condom inaccessibility and some had multiple sex partners. Factors independently associated with being sexually active included exposure to erotic content on television programmes, having a psychiatric diagnosis, discussions of sexuality with health worker and older age. Adolescents` behaviours living with HIV and the issue of availability of condoms may play a part in the spread of HIV. More discussions and research on sexuality of adolescents are recommended / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Adolescence is a time of accelerated physical and sexual growth, and many students become sexually active before they finish secondary schooling. Unfortunately, many adolescents and young adults experience sexual coercion in their intimate relationships. Sexual coercion is defined broadly as verbal or physical pressure to engage in sexual activity. This study sought to examine sexual coercion experiences of Year 11-12 high school, male and female students in their peer dating and relationships. Before retrieving such information, a modified Sexual Experiences Survey (SES) questionnaire was designed. This was named the Adolescent Dating and Relationship Survey (ADRS) which, subsequently, was examined by experts in the area, and validated via a pilot study using 30 university students. Thirdly, the study administered the ADRS to 341, Year 11 and Year 12 students to examine how they responded to their sexually coercive experiences. The participants were actively engaging in relationship behaviours, with nearly 50% of the females and 70% of the males reporting a relationship with a partner of the same age. However, significantly more females dated older partners and, conversely, more male students were involved with younger partners. The female students tended to have longer relationships than the males, especially for relationships of 9 to 12 months or longer. Participants did not report sexual coercion experiences via threat or blackmail, nor were the males threatened with a weapon. The most frequently cited forms of coercion by both female and male students were: made to feel guilty, being plied with alcohol and/or other drugs, being pressured by begging and/or arguing, and being lied to. However, the female students reported being physically restrained significantly more than the males. As a group they responded to these sexually coercive acts via all forms 2 measured except the males, who did not resort to either fighting off or yelling. Talking about the experience later was the response commonly reported by the students. Further, female students responded to sexual coercion by saying either,

This study describes the HIV/AIDS knowledge of Form 1 secondary school learners in Harare. Structured interviews were conducted with 75 learners from four schools representing a low density, a high density, a rural and a private school. Most learners had obtained their HIVAIDS knowledge from schools and a few did so from their parents. None of the learners had reportedly yet engaged in sexual activities and all had heard about HIV, but not all knew what HIV was, and even fewer could define AIDS. Generally the learners’ HIV/AIDS knowledge levels were high but some misconceptions persisted. Future programmes should emphasise that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, and that condoms should be used at every sexual encounter. Radio, television and school programmes should emphasise that every person can become infected with HIV/AIDS, if preventive measures are disregarded. / Public Health / M.A. (Public Health)

HIV/AIDS has emerged as the leading cause of death in South Africa, with young people being the most affected. Awareness of HIV/AIDS is quite high, yet prevalence rates have not stabilised and are still climbing. Lack of sexual behavioural change among young people is a major factor which explains why prevalence rates are still on the increase among this population. Sexual behaviour change is influenced by perceptions and attitudes, most notably perceived susceptibility. Information on the psychological factors that affect perceived susceptibility can provide an important base for the development of programmes aimed at reducing further transmission among young people. A survey, using a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire with close-ended questions to collect data, was conducted among Grade 11 learners (n = 318) in Rini, Grahamstown, South Africa. One of the constructs (namely Perceived Susceptibility) in the Health Belief Model informed the data collection. The data generated were first analysed descriptively, providing percentages for responses. Secondly cross-tabulations were calculated. The results showed that knowledge about HIV/AIDS is sufficient, young people receive accurate and non-conflictual messages about sex and HIV/AIDS, they are not discriminatory towards People Living With HIV/AIDS, they have adequate access to healthcare and their perceived susceptibility to HIV/AIDS is high. All these are factors which are favourable and conducive for positive sexual behavioural change. However, the study also found that there was little behaviour change among young people especially regarding regular condom use and decreased sexual activity.

Secondary analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health is used to examine possible explanatory variables for sexual health outcomes. Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between sexual health outcomes and topical content in sexuality education, controlling for race, biological sex, low socioeconomic status, and religiosity. Results indicated increasing topical content in sexuality education had a positive effect on knowledge acquisition and confidence, but no statistically significant effect on engagement in sexual risk behavior or likelihood of reporting sexual coercion. Control variables were significant predictors and overall model fit was low, indicating topical content in sexuality education is minimally important in creating adolescent sexual behavior. Further exploration of differing aspects of sexuality education is suggested.