Out of School Adolescents’ Knowledge and Practices on Sexuality in an Urban Poor Community

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to determine the level of knowledge on sexuality in terms of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and contraception; and the practices of sexuality among out of school adolescents in an urban poor community in terms of sexual activity, STI and contraceptive use. It also aims to determine the relationship between the profile of these adolescents and their level of knowledge and practices on sexuality. Method: A survey was done among 347 urban poor adolescents aged 13-19 years old in an urban poor community. The investigator analyzed the presented data by determining the relationship between the profile variables and perceived adolescent reproductive health among urban poor adolescents. The study utilized a modified tool adapted from the World Health Organization Reproductive Health Questionnaire. Results: Level of knowledge results revealed that urban poor adolescents have a low extent of knowledge on pregnancy with 35.35 as a mean score. Urban poor out of school adolescents have an average extent of knowledge on sexually transmitted infections with a mean score of 49.23 and have an average knowledge on contraception with a mean of 52.85. Almost one third of the respondents are sexually active and only 4% had acquired sexually transmitted infections. Moreover, 71.2% of the respondents did not use condoms or any contraceptives. Chi square results indicate that there is no significant relationship between the level of knowledge of the respondents on pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and their gender and religion. However, there is a significant relationship between the level of knowledge of the respondents on contraceptive methods and gender but not on religion. There is no significant relationship between the respondents’ sexual activity and their profile except for age of first sexual intercourse and religion. No significant relationship was found between the respondents’ practices on sexuality in terms of sexually transmitted infections and their profile but there is a significant relationship between practices on sexuality in terms of contraceptive use of pills, condom and injectable against the gender of the respondents and between the use of withdrawal and religion. Conclusion and Recommendation: There is a low level of knowledge in pregnancy, average level of knowledge in sexually transmitted infections and contraceptions among out of school adolescents. Almost one third of the respondents are sexually active and the majority did not use any contraceptives.There is a need for an adolescent reproductive health care focused on urban poor out of school members of the community and their mothers be included on health education programs.