Uzayisenga Josephine, Nshimiyimana Augustin, Musafili Aimable, Kaberuka Gerard, Bazakare Marie Laetitia Ishimwe, Mukeshimana Madeleine, Nyirazinyoye Laetitia, Hategekimana Viateur
School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda, P.O Box3286, Kigali-Rwanda.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda, P. O Box 3286, Kigali-Rwanda.
Rwanda J Med Health Sci. 2025 Mar 31;8(1):30-48. doi: 10.4314/rjmhs.v8i1.3. eCollection 2025 Mar.
The quality of communication between adolescents and parents regarding sexual and reproductive health is a crucial area that needs improvement. Although existing studies emphasize the significance of parent-adolescent communication from parental views, there is a gap in investigating adolescents' perspectives. Understanding their experiences can help develop effective communication strategies that address their developmental needs and promote healthier behaviours.
This study aims to collect detailed information about how adolescents view their communication with their parents, the difficulties they face in these exchanges, and solutions for enhancing adolescent health.
A phenomenological exploratory study design was conducted using eleven focus group discussions among adolescents between December 2020 and January 2021.
The study revealed three key themes, including communication patterns, challenges that make open dialogue difficult, and various solutions to enhance discussions about sexual and reproductive health between parents and adolescents.
Improving communication between parents and adolescents about reproductive health is crucial for encouraging healthier behaviours. By addressing challenges such as cultural taboos, limited knowledge, and fear of family and social stigma that leads to poor communication, parents and adolescents will navigate the complexities of sexual and reproductive health issues effectively.
青少年与父母之间关于性健康和生殖健康的沟通质量是一个亟待改善的关键领域。尽管现有研究从父母的角度强调了亲子沟通的重要性，但在调查青少年的观点方面仍存在差距。了解他们的经历有助于制定有效的沟通策略，以满足他们的发展需求并促进更健康的行为。
本研究旨在收集有关青少年如何看待与父母的沟通、他们在这些交流中面临的困难以及促进青少年健康的解决方案的详细信息。
2020年12月至2021年1月期间，对青少年进行了11次焦点小组讨论，采用现象学探索性研究设计。
该研究揭示了三个关键主题，包括沟通模式、使开放对话变得困难的挑战以及加强父母与青少年之间关于性健康和生殖健康讨论的各种解决方案。
改善父母与青少年之间关于生殖健康的沟通对于鼓励更健康的行为至关重要。通过应对诸如文化禁忌、知识有限以及对家庭和社会耻辱感的恐惧等导致沟通不畅的挑战，父母和青少年将有效地应对性健康和生殖健康问题的复杂性。
