THE ATTITUDE OF FEMALE ADOLESCENT TOWARDS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION

 ABSTRACT

This research study was carried out to create awareness amongst the public on the importance of reproductive health education in College of Education Ekiadolor. A non experimental design was carried out based o the above topic in College of Education Ekiadolor, Edo State. Data collected through questionnaires method, fifty questionnaires were distributed to 50 respondents. Some questionnaires were retrieved immediately while others were collected later. All questionnaires were retrieved. Data collected were analyzed in tables, pie chart, bar chart, and histogram using percentages. The findings showed that a great number of youths today were not educated on their reproductive health, and the ones who has heard about the topic go to hear about it from either books (42%) movies (28%) peer group (14%) school counsellor (10%) and parents (6%). It was therefore, recommended that parents family members, school counsellors, should educate youths on the reproductive health to help protect them i.e. the youth from sexually transmitted infections, early pregnancy and their associated poor outcome. 

TABLE OF CONTENT

Chapter One: Introduction     

Background of the study

Statement of the problem

Purpose of the study

Objectives of the study

Research questions

Hypothesis

Significance of the study

Scope of the study

Basic assumption

Limitation of the study

Definition of term

Chapter Two: Literature Review      

Self medication

Cause of drug abuse

Sociology of drug abuse

Effect of drug abuse

Chapter Three: Research Design and Methodology     

Sample and sampling method

Problems encountered during the project

Chapter Four: Data Analysis

Analysis of questionnaires

Chapter Five: Summary         

Summary

Conclusion

Suggestion and further research

Bibliography       

Questionnaire     

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

International conference on population development (ICPD) (1996) defined reproductive health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health is a crucial part of general health, yet many of the word’s people do not have good reproductive health. Some have little or no control over their sexual lives and children bearing, others engage in behaviours that put both them and their partners at risk, while yet others simply do not have assess to the right kind of information and services. Many girls and women are socially, politically, and economically disadvantaged, and have fewer educational opportunities and consequently have limited choices in the society is critical to their reproductive health, and their reproductive health is crucial not only to them but also to the next generation.

In some cultures, parents and family members such as aunts, uncles, elder sisters and grand parents are influential sources of knowledge, beliefs, attitude and values for children and youths. The adolescent period is a time when the teenagers need guidance and help from their parents home training is an essential element in instilling the right character and morals in the children because this have profound effect on how they will conduct their lives when they leave home. Children should be encouraged to talk to their parents, by so doing they can be prevented later in life from keeping to themselves. The youths of this generation are thrown into the pressure of an adult life. As from 12 yrs of age, they turn to their friends for advice about sex, pregnancy, drugs, money and careers, and many of the teenagers who go long have said “we could not talk us”. Early reproductive health education to children is an important task for parents. Esim (2001) says that in some cultures, parents and family member such as aunts, uncles, elder sisters and grand parents are influential sources of knowledge, beliefs, attitude and values for children and youths. They are role models who shape young people perception of gender roles and influence the choice that youth make about their own sexual behaviour. Parents and other family members often have the power to guide children’s development towards health sexuality as a natural, normal and progressive experience within the life cycle, they can help their children develop and practice responsible sexual behaviours and personal decision making.

Denise (1997) says that in most societies, educating children about reproductive health is not a task parents and other family members  find easy to discuss. Parents are often embarrassed when confronted with such questions, they become tough tied uneasy, they gasp for words or they change the subject. So most children are left to pick it up on their own, more often than not they pick it up from proverbial gulter usually from friends, classmates in the form of dirty jokes or from novel or magazines. Perhaps may be the parents are reluctant to expose their own lack of knowledge about anatomy, philosophy, or other related information. They may worry about how much information to give at what age, based on the unfavoured belief that the provision of this information will lead young people to experiment with what they are told. What many fail to realize is that giving no information to the young people questions can send negative messages about sexuality. The result may be unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and low self esteem.

Singh et al (2000) recognizes that adolescent can engage in health, fulfilling sexual relationship rather than focusing only on the negative outcome may go far in reaching young people with important information. Esim (2001) says that it becomes increasingly clear that adolescent sexual and reproductive health is closely linked with educational economic opportunity.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM   

The essence of this research work is to find out the attitude of female adolescent towards reproductive health education in College of Education, Ekiadolor-Benin.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS  

1.            Does knowledge about reproductive health bring about promiscuity amongst adolescents?

2.            Does ignorance prevent parents from educating their children on reproductive health?

3.            Is there a relationship between the knowledge about sexuality and the incidence of teenage pregnancy and abortion amongst adolescents?

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

1.    To bring to the awareness of parents of productive health education to their children?

2.    To educate adolescents on their reproductive health?

3.    To create awareness to the public on the effect of not educating children in reproductive health?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The main focus of this study is to know the certitude of female adolescents towards reproductive health education.

It is hoped that at the end of this study the parents approach to educating their children on reproductive health will change positively.

It will also help the adolescents to know how to prevent teenage pregnancy there reducing the rate of criminal abortion this bringing a decline in maternal mortality.

It will help the parents to know why and how to give se education to their children at an early to prevent teenage pregnancy.

It will relevant to school authoritarian stakeholders in the society.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Reproductive Health: According to worldhealth organization (WHO) 1993, reproductive health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing in all matters relating to the reproductive system at all stages of life. According to international conference on population development (ICPD 1995) reproductive health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence and disease or infinity in all matters relating to the reproductive system and its functions and processes.

Reproductive Heath Care: this is defined as the castellation of methods, techniques and service that contributes to reproductive health and wellbeing by preventing and solving reproduction problems.

Abortion: termination of a pregnancy before viability of the fetus i.e. ability of the baby to have an independents life.

Unwanted Pregnancy: this is a pregnancy a girl or human or her own freewill considers undesirable.

UNSAFE ABORTIONS: the termination of pregnancy termed unwanted either by person lacking the skills necessary for the procedure or in an environment lacking the minimal medical standard or both.