Jocelyn E Finlay1, Nega Assefa2, Mary Mwanyika-Sando3, Yadeta Dessie2, Guy Harling4,5,6, Tasiana Njau7, Angela Chukwu8, Ayoade Oduola8, Iqbal Shah1, Richard Adanu9, Justine Bukenya10. 1. Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. 2. College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. 3. African Academy for Public Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 4. Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK. 5. Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. 6. Department of Epidemiology & Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. 7. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 8. Department of Statistics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. 9. Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. 10. Department of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine knowledge of menstruation, HIV and STIs other than HIV across eight sites in SSA to develop effective programmatic interventions enabling adolescents to achieve positive SRH as their transition to adulthood. METHODS: We combine data from eight Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites across sub-Saharan Africa, from an adolescent-specific survey that included 7116 males and females age 10-19 years old. We provide pooled and site-specific estimates from multiple analytic models examining the how year-specific age, school attendance and work correlate with knowledge of menstruation, HIV knowledge and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) other than HIV. RESULTS: Many adolescents lack knowledge of menstruation (37.3%, 95% CI 31.8, 43.1 do not know of menstruation) and STIs other than HIV (55.9%, 95% CI 50.4, 61.3 do not know of other STIs). In multivariate analysis, older age, being in school and wealth are significant positive correlates of STI knowledge. Older adolescent age, female sex and being in school are significant positive correlates of knowledge of menstruation. Knowledge of HIV is high (89.7%, 95% CI 8.3, 12.7 know of HIV) and relatively similar across adolescent age, sex, wealth and school and work attendance. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of HIV is widespread across adolescents in these communities in sub-Saharan Africa, but knowledge of other dimensions of sexual and reproductive health - menstruation and other STIs in this study - is lacking especially for early adolescents (10- to 14-year olds). The dissemination of more comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information is needed within these and similar communities in SSA to help adolescents gain insight on how to make their own decisions towards positive adolescent sexual and reproductive health and protect them from risks.
OBJECTIVE: To examine knowledge of menstruation, HIV and STIs other than HIV across eight sites in SSA to develop effective programmatic interventions enabling adolescents to achieve positive SRH as their transition to adulthood. METHODS: We combine data from eight Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites across sub-Saharan Africa, from an adolescent-specific survey that included 7116 males and females age 10-19 years old. We provide pooled and site-specific estimates from multiple analytic models examining the how year-specific age, school attendance and work correlate with knowledge of menstruation, HIV knowledge and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) other than HIV. RESULTS: Many adolescents lack knowledge of menstruation (37.3%, 95% CI 31.8, 43.1 do not know of menstruation) and STIs other than HIV (55.9%, 95% CI 50.4, 61.3 do not know of other STIs). In multivariate analysis, older age, being in school and wealth are significant positive correlates of STI knowledge. Older adolescent age, female sex and being in school are significant positive correlates of knowledge of menstruation. Knowledge of HIV is high (89.7%, 95% CI 8.3, 12.7 know of HIV) and relatively similar across adolescent age, sex, wealth and school and work attendance. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of HIV is widespread across adolescents in these communities in sub-Saharan Africa, but knowledge of other dimensions of sexual and reproductive health - menstruation and other STIs in this study - is lacking especially for early adolescents (10- to 14-year olds). The dissemination of more comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information is needed within these and similar communities in SSA to help adolescents gain insight on how to make their own decisions towards positive adolescent sexual and reproductive health and protect them from risks.
Keywords:
Afrique subsaharienne; adolescent; connaissances; knowledge; santé sexuelle et reproductive; sexual and reproductive health; sub-Saharan Africa
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