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Accessibility and uptake of reproductive health education during earlier youth according to 18 and 19 year old college students in the Cape Town metropolitan area

Thesis (MCur (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reproductive health is the right of every person. The new Children’s Act (Act 38 of
2005) gives to children 12 years and older rights to reproductive health, which
includes contraceptive access as well as information on sexuality and reproduction.
They have the right to HIV/AIDS testing and treatment with only their own consent.
The aim of the study was to investigate the personal and contextual factors which
influence the accessibility and uptake of reproductive health education during early
youth (13 to 18 years). The study also aimed to identify contextually appropriate
recommendations toward improved reproductive health provision for these youths.
A descriptive, non-experimental, research design was employed with a primarily
quantitative approach. A sample of 270 participants, constituting 20% of the study
population (N=1373) was randomly selected from Northlink FET Colleges, Cape
Town. A self-completion structured questionnaire was used to collect the data.
Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the
Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University. Permission to conduct the
research was obtained from the management of Northlink FET College.
A group of 30 participants, who met the inclusion criteria, constituting 11% of the
sample, participated in a pilot study. Reliability and validity were assured by means
of a pilot study and the use of experts in the field, nursing research and statistics.
Data was collected personally by the Principal Investigator.
The data analysis was primarily descriptive in nature and presented in frequency
tables, proportions and measures of relationships, using where indicated Chi-square
(x2) and Mann-Whitney U tests. A thematic approach was used to analyze the
qualitative data yielded from the open-ended question. Subsequently, in order to
strengthen the investigation, the qualitative data, within the identified themes, was
quantified based on a validated analytical approach.
The results show that 74.1% (n=195) of participants were sexually experienced by
the time of the study. Of the participants who reported having already had sexual
intercourse, 60.5% (n=115) indicated having made their sexual début by the age of
16. A third of participants (33.2%,n=77) received their first reproductive health
education by age 13. Only half of the participants (50.4%,n=116) indicated that the
reproductive health education they received always influenced them to make safer sex choices. Of the participants, 21.9% (n=59) stated that they felt that they were in
some way hindered in accessing contraceptives during age 13 to 18 years.
The vast majority of the participants (94.4%, n=255) indicated that they would prefer
reproductive health education to be provided by a professional healthcare provider at
a clinic (61.5%, n=166) or by a nurse at school (33%; n=89). Increased reproductive
health education within the schooling systems was requested by 52 (19.3%)
participants, with more than 30% (n=84) indicating their home as the preferred
source of such education.
Several recommendations, grounded in the study findings, were identified, including
the provision of reproductive health care and accessibility to contraceptives for
youths as young as 12 years within a school setting. This care should be provided by
healthcare professionals, such as nurses, on a similar operating basis as that which
is provided in primary health clinics. The findings reveal to the pressing need for the
development, implementation and evaluation of an alternative model for reproductive
health care provision in order to assure the complete deliverance of the rights and
care to youths as stipulated in the new Child Act (Act 38 of 2005). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voortplantings gesondheid is die reg van elke persoon. Die nuwe Kinderwet (Wet 38
van 2005) gee aan elke kind 12 jaar en ouer die reg tot voortplantings gesondheid,
wat insluit toegang tot swangerskap voorbehoeding en informasie aangaande
seksualiteit en voortplanting. Die jeug het ook die reg tot HIV/AIDS toetsing en
behandeling met net hulle eie toestemming. Die doelwitte daargestel is om te bepaal
watter persoonlike en kontekstuele faktore die toegang en gebruik van voortplantings
gesondheidsonderrig bevorder en/of benadeel by jonger tieners (13 tot 18 jaar). Die
studie sou ook vasstel wat die voorwaardes is vir n toeganklike voortplantings
gesondheidsorg diens vir hierdie tieners.
!n Beskrywende, nie-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp was gebruik met n primer
kwantitatiewe benadering. !n Steekproef van 270 deelnemers, insluitende 20% van
die studie populasie (N=1373) was vanuit die Northlink Verdere Onderrig en
Opleidings Kolleges (Kaapstad) by die studie betrek. Die vraelys gebruik was
gestruktueerd en is self deur deelnemers voltooi. Etiese Komitee van die Mediese
Fakulteit te Universiteit Stellenbosch verkry asook die Bestuur van Northlink Kollege.
’n Loodstudie was gebruik, waarby 30 deelnemers wat inpas by die insluitings kriteria
(11% van die studie populasie) betrek is. Die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die
studie is deur die loodstudie, die gebruik van ‘n statistikus, verpleegdeskundiges en
die navorser-metodoloog versterk. Die finale data is persoonlik deur die navorser
ingevorder.
Data was geannaliseer met die bystand van ’n statistikus en is as frekwensie tabelle
uitgebeeld met die gebruik van Chi-hoek (x2) en Mann-Whitney U toetse. ’n Tema
benadering is geneem om die kwalitatiewe data te annaliseer. Gevolgens is die data
van die kwalitatiewe studie gekwantifiseer.
Die bevindings van die studie het getoon dat 74.1% (n=195) van deelnemers
seksuele ondervinding voor die studie gehad het. Van die deelnemers het 60.5%
(n=115) hulle eerste seksuele ondervinding gehad voor die ouderdom van 16 jaar.
Van die deelnemers het 33.2% (n=77) hulle voortplantings onderrig teen 13 jarige
ouderdom ontvang. Net 50.4% (n=116) van deelnemers het bekend gemaak dat die
onderrig wat hulle ontvang het, hulle altyd gelei het tot veiliger seksuele keuses. Van
die deelnemers het 21.9% (n=59) het gevoel dat hulle op een of ander manier
verhoed was om voorbehoeding te bekom. Van die deelnemers, sou 94.4% (n=255) verkies het om alternatiewe voortplantings
gesondheidsonderrig van ’n professionele gesondheidsorg voorsiener te ontvang,
61.5% (n=166) in klinieke en 33% (n=89) deur ’n verpleegster by ’n skool. ’n
Toename in voortplantings onderrig binne die skoolsisteem is versoek deur 52
(19.3%) van die deelnemers, met 30% (n=84) van die deelnemers wat voortplantings
onderrig van die huis af sou verkies het.
Die hoop word dus uitgespreek dat die voorsiening van voortplantings
gesondheidsorg aan kinders so jonk as 12 jaar binne die skool sisteem voorsien kan
word, deur ’n professionele gesondheidsorg verpleegster op ’n soortgelyke basis as
in publieke gesondheids klinieke. Die studie se bevindinge lei die navorser tot die
voorstel om n alternatiewe model te ontwikkel en beplan. Hierdeur moet die
voorsiening van voortplantings gesondheidsorg geskied wat sou verseker dat die
volledige regte en sorgvoorwaardes aan die heug toegestaan deur die nuwe Kinder
Wet (Wet 38 van 2005), aan voldoen word.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/5168
Date12 1900
CreatorsMcMillan, Lauren
ContributorsMarais, F., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatxvi, 106 p.
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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