Baraki Semere Gebremariam, Thupayagale-Tshweneagae Gloria
Department of Public Health, Menelik II Medical and Health Science College, Kotebe University of Education, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Health Studies, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.
Front Reprod Health. 2024 Aug 6;6:1348953. doi: 10.3389/frph.2024.1348953. eCollection 2024.
There are 1.2 billion adolescents in the world today, more than ever before, making up 16% of the world's population and nearly one-fourth of the total population in Sub-Saharan Africa. Adolescents are facing life-threatening health challenges attributed to sexual and reproductive health issues such as unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted infections, including the human immunodeficiency virus, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The aim of this research is to explore the individual and relational levels of factors that drive adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour.
A qualitative phenomenological study design was used from February to June 2020. Adolescents and health professionals were selected purposefully. A total of 12 individual in-depth interviews, five focus group discussions with adolescents, and eight key informant interviews with health professionals were conducted using a semi-structured guide. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis with ATLAS Ti version 7 software. Credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability were used to ensure the trustworthiness of the data.
In this study, two themes were identified; individual level factors such as sexual desire and emotion driven sex, limited knowledge of sexual and reproductive health, and a permissive attitude towards sexual activities drive adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour; and relational level factors such as, limited family support and involvement, negative peer pressure and influence, male partner dominance during the partnership, and pressuring females to engage in sexual intercourse were perceived factors influencing adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour.
Various individual-level and relational-level factors are influencing adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour. Socially and culturally acceptable, comprehensive sexual education should be provided for in-school and out-school adolescents to enhance their knowledge, attitude, and skill about sexual and reproductive health. Interventions at the peer and partner level should be considered to enhance the life skills that enable them to resist pressure from peers and their partners. Child-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health matters should be promoted.
当今世界有12亿青少年，人数比以往任何时候都多，占世界人口的16%，在撒哈拉以南非洲地区占总人口的近四分之一。青少年正面临因性健康和生殖健康问题而危及生命的健康挑战，如意外怀孕、不安全堕胎以及包括人类免疫缺陷病毒和获得性免疫缺陷综合征在内的性传播感染。本研究的目的是探讨促使青少年从事危险性行为的个体层面和关系层面的因素。
2020年2月至6月采用定性现象学研究设计。有目的地选取了青少年和卫生专业人员。使用半结构化指南进行了总共12次个人深度访谈、5次青少年焦点小组讨论以及8次卫生专业人员关键 informant 访谈。使用ATLAS Ti 7版软件通过主题分析进行数据分析。使用可信度、可靠性、可转移性和可证实性来确保数据的可信度。
在本研究中，确定了两个主题；个体层面的因素，如性欲和情感驱动的性行为、性健康和生殖健康知识有限以及对性活动的宽容态度促使青少年从事危险性行为；关系层面的因素，如家庭支持和参与有限、负面的同伴压力和影响、恋爱关系中男性伴侣占主导地位以及迫使女性进行性交被认为是影响青少年从事危险性行为的因素。
各种个体层面和关系层面的因素正在影响青少年从事危险性行为。应向在校和校外青少年提供社会和文化上可接受的全面性教育，以提高他们关于性健康和生殖健康的知识、态度和技能。应考虑在同伴和伴侣层面进行干预，以提高他们抵抗同伴和伴侣压力的生活技能。应促进儿童与父母就性健康和生殖健康问题进行沟通。
