Suman Khatkar*
Assistant Professor (Community Health Nursing), Shaheed Baba Deep Singh College of Nursing,
Ratia, Fatehabad, Haryana, India.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: sumanmoun60@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Background and aim: Reproductive health of vulnerable adolescent girls is a top priority in global Programme. Adolescent girls are at risk of AIDS and other STDs, unplanned pregnancy, childbirth, unwanted pregnancies, illegal and unsafe abortions. There are Adolescent girls make reproductive health decisions and choices based on their knowledge and the availability of such choices can either negatively or positively affect their lives. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge regarding reproductive health among adolescent girl in govt. Girls School of Jind, Haryana. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study included 30 girls of govt. girl’s sr. sec. school of Jind by simple random sampling technique. Data were collected with the help of structured knowledge questionnaire and data were collected method was self-reporting questionnaire and data analyzed by Descriptive by Chi Square and unpaired’ test. Girls with their selected socio demographic variables. Results: Half of the above of total sample 16 (53.33%) have low level of knowledge. Samples with average level of knowledge were 14 (46.67 %). None of the samples have very low, high and very high level of knowledge, there will be no significant association between level of knowledge on reproductive health and socio demographic variables. (Age, Religion, Educational Status of Mother, Residence, Monthly Income and Source of Information) Conclusion: A little above one half of the total sample 16 (53.33%) have low level of knowledge. Samples with average level of knowledge were 14 (46.67 %). None of the samples have very low, high and very high level of knowledge.
KEYWORDS: Descriptive, Knowledge, Reproductive health, Adolescent, girls.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:
Adolescence is a complex stage in life that is characterized by conflicts among responsibilities, independence and experimentation1, and health and social problems may be extensive during this phase2. According to the World Health Organization, the main health issues among adolescents include early pregnancy, childbirth, HIV/AIDS, depression, violence, alcohol and drug abuse, intentional injuries, malnutrition, obesity, and tobacco use3 Adolescents account for 1.2 billion people globally and 11% of all births worldwide are to girls aged 15–19 years.4
The adolescent pregnancy rate here is 47 births per 1000 females aged 15–19 per annum5 Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing are increasingly recognized as a serious, worldwide public health concern. The maternal mortality rate associated with pregnant adolescents has been attributed to pregnancy induced hypertension, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, obstetric hemorrhaging, and medical and surgical disorders5,6. The HIV prevalence in South Africa is estimated at 13.1%7
INTRODUCTION AND NEED OF THE STUDY:
World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as the period of life between 10 and 19 years of age. The adolescent experiences not only physical growth and change but also emotional, psychological, social, and mental change and growth. Physiological changes lead to sexual maturity and usually occur during the first several years of this period.8 The National Population Policy of India 2000 recognized adolescents as a vulnerable group with specific needs.9 They comprise nearly 20%–21% of our country's population and their numbers are expected to increase over time.10 Reproductive health of adolescent girls is crucial since it determines the health of future generations to come. With urbanization and liberal attitudes in contemporary Indian society, there is an increased likelihood of indulging in sexual proximity at an early age, the burden of which is usually borne by the female sex. Hence, adolescent girls are at risk of unwanted pregnancy, reproductive tract infections (RTIs) and also a spectrum of social and psychological consequences such as discontinuation of education, forced early marriages, unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and depression.11 There are 1.2 billion adolescents across the world; nine out of ten of these young people live in developing countries. India is home to more than 243 million adolescents; accounting for a quarter of the country’s population12 The National Population Policy 2000 identifies adolescents as an underserved group for which health, specifically reproductive and sexual health interventions are to be designed. The National Curriculum Framework 2005 for School Education explicitly highlights the need for integrating age appropriate adolescent reproductive and sexual health, including HIV/AIDS messages into the school curriculum. This framework is translated into the National Adolescence Education Program, which proposes 100 per cent coverage of all secondary and higher secondary schools with HIV/AIDS prevention and adolescent reproductive and sexual health (ARSH) messages.13
OBJECTIVE OF STUDY:
a. To assess the knowledge level of reproductive health among adolescent girls.
b. To find out the association between knowledge score with socio-demographic variables.
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES:
H1 There will be assessing the significant association between level of knowledge on reproductive health and socio demographic variables.
ASSUMPTIONS:
Adolescent girls will be having some knowledge regarding reproductive health
DELIMITATIONS:
· This study is delimited to adolescent girls of selected government school.
· This study is delimited to single setting is Jind.
· Adolescent girls between the years group (12-19).
REVIEW OF LITERATURE:
· Literature related to reproductive health.
· Literature related to reproductive health problems.
· Literature related to maintenance of reproductive health.
METHODOLOGY:
· Research approach: Quantitative evaluative approach is used for this study.
· Research design: Descriptive Research Design.
· Setting of study: Govt. girls sr. sec. school, Jind (Haryana)
· Population: Adolescent girls who are studying in Govt.sr sec. Girls school Jind (Haryana)
· Target population: Adolescent girls of age group12-19 years.
· Sample: Total 30 adolescent girls.
· Sampling technique: Simple random sampling technique.
RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION:
Table 1: Frequency Distribution and Level of Knowledge of Samples on Reproductive Health Frequency distribution and percentage distribution of level of knowledge of samples regarding reproductive health is shown in the below table. (N = 30)
|
S. No. |
Level of Knowledge |
Frequency (f) |
% |
|
1. |
Very Low (0 – 6) |
0 |
0 |
|
2. |
Low (7 – 12) |
16 |
53.33 |
|
3. |
Average / Fair (13 – 18) |
14 |
46.67 |
|
4. |
High (19 – 24) |
0 |
0 |
|
5. |
Very High (25 – 30) |
0 |
0 |
Figure No. 1: Frequency distribution and percentage distribution of level of knowledge of samples regarding reproductive health is shown in the below in Figure.
Figure No. 1: A little above one half of the total sample 16 (53.33%) have low level of knowledge. Samples with average level of knowledge were 14 (46.67 %). None of the samples have very low, high and very high level of knowledge.
Table 2: Level of Association between Level of Knowledge on Reproductive Health and Selected Demographic Variables.
|
S. No. |
Variables |
Chi – Square Value |
‘P’ Value |
Df |
Association |
|
1. |
Age |
5 |
0.8208 |
2 |
Not Significant |
|
2. |
Religion |
0.373 |
0.7315 |
2 |
Not Significant |
|
3. |
Educational Status of Mother |
0.2105 |
0.9758 |
3 |
Not Significant |
|
4. |
Residence |
0.2679 |
0.6047 |
1 |
Not Significant |
|
5. |
Monthly Income |
0.2588 |
0.8786 |
2 |
Not Significant |
|
6. |
Source of Information |
2.4 |
0.4936 |
3 |
Not Significant |
To determine the association between level of knowledge on reproductive health and socio demographic variables the null hypothesis can be stated as follows.
H0: There will be no significant association between level of knowledge on reproductive health and socio demographic variables. (Age, Religion, Educational Status of Mother, Residence, Monthly Income and Source of Information)
NURSING IMPLICATIONS:
Nursing Education:
The nurses play a key role in educating people regarding reproductive health in Hospitals and schools. Increasing awareness and understanding of the phenomena among the general population will result in high level of reproductive health and that will spontaneously reduce the morbidity of adolescent girls. due to problems of reproductive illness. The investigator as a nurse felt the need that nurses should act as facilitators to educate adolescents, teachers, general population, and clinical patients regarding the reproductive health.
Nursing Research:
Nurses being the largest group in health care delivery system should take initiative to conduct further research studies in reproductive health among adolescent girls. The study will motivate the beginning researcher to conduct same study with different variables on a large scale considering individual aspects. The public and private agencies should also encourage research in this field through materials and funds. The findings of the present study are helpful for the nursing professionals and nursing teachers to conduct further studies to find out the effectiveness of various methods of providing education on improving the knowledge regarding reproductive health.
Nursing Administration:
Nurse Administrator should take interest in motivating the nursing personnel to improve their professional knowledge and skill by attending the workshops, conferences, seminars on reproductive health among adolescent girls. Nurse administrator should arrange regular in-service education program to the health care workers for gaining knowledge. The nurse administrators should explore their potentials and encourage innovative ideas in the reproductive health care of adolescent’s girls.
Nursing practice:
Nurse owes a great responsibility in educating the people regarding reproductive health. Nurses by getting knowledge and impact into their clinical practice. Many nurses can conduct evidence base nursing practice by referring to these results. Nurses can use to assess the level of knowledge regarding reproductive health in clinical as well as in community settings that will play a vital role in reducing the morbidity of reproductive illness.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
· A similar study can be done on a large sample to generalize the findings.
· A similar study can be conducted to parents using the same teaching programme.
· A comparative study can be done between rural and urban children on the level of knowledge on reproductive health.
· A descriptive study can be done to find out the prevalence of reproductive health among school age girl.
CONCLUSION:
One half of the total sample 16 (53.33%) have low level of knowledge. Samples with average level of knowledge were 14 (46.67 %). None of the samples have very low, high and very high level of knowledge. There will be no significant association between level of knowledge on reproductive health and socio demographic variables. (Age, Religion, Educational Status of Mother, Residence, Monthly Income and Source of Information)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
I Sincere thanks to Principal of Govt. Sr. Sec. Girls School (Jind) Haryana, for grant me permission for my research work. My special thanks to participants of the Study without whose cooperation it would have been impossible to complete study.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FUNDING:
None.
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Received on 22.10.2021 Modified on 16.11.2021
Accepted on 06.12.2021 ©A&V Publications All right reserved
Int. J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2022; 10(1):25-28.
DOI: 10.52711/2454-2652.2022.00006