Abstract:
Introduction: The health threats for adolescents today are predominantly behavioral
rather than biomedical and more of today’s adolescents are involved in health
behavior with potential for serious consequence. Parent-adolescent communication on
sexual and reproductive health issues remains a challenge in many sub-Saharan
African countries including Ethiopia and problems of adolescents are rising from time
to time.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the extent of parent-adolescent
communication and associated factors on adolescents
,
sexual and RH issues at
Fagita Lokoma district in Awi Zone, Northwest Ethiopia.
Methods: Institution based quantitative cross-sectional study design and qualitative
techniques were conducted among adolescents and selected parents respectively,
living in Fagita Lokoma district. A total of 695 in school adolescents aged 13-19 years
enrolled in grade 9-12 for the academic year 2011/2012 were selected using
multistage sampling technique and selected parents in the community using purposive
sampling technique. Six trained data collectors and two supervisors were involved in
the data collection process. Pretested anonymous structured self administered
questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data among adolescents, which were
entered, cleaned using EPI info and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Qualitative
information was obtained from four focus group discussions among parents. Odds
ratio with 95% confidence interval and logistic regression data analysis techniques
was employed.
Results: About 50.6% of the adolescents communicated with either of their parents in
at least two topics of SRH issues. Educational level of the adolescents, knowledge on
contraceptives and perceived openness on communication were significant with
parent adolescent communication.
Conclusion and recommendation: The study has shown low level of parentadolescent
communication on SRH issues. Hence sensitize the community to
VIII
encourage open communication among family members in general and between
parents and adolescents in particular
