Survey on Knowledge,Attitude and Practice (KAP) of Adolescents With Regard to Reproductive Health and Sexually Transmitted Infections,Including HIV/AIDS

摘要

udIn November 1999 a survey has been conducted in four district of Lindi Region, in order to assess the knowledge, Attitude and Practice of adolescents with regard to Reproductive to Health and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS. A total of 1560 standard VI student in 48 schools have been included in the survey. Among those 903 were girls and 657 were boys. The mean age of students in the sample was 14.8 years, girls on average being slightly younger than boys. The age range between the younger and older students was 7 years. 84% of students had already passed initiation passed rites, and 50% of students report to have reached physical maturity (menarche for girls, wet dreams for boys).An averages of 45% of all students interviewed are already sexually active. Among girls 30% report to have had sexual intercourse, while among boys 65% indicate that they are sexually active. The age at which students start to practice sexual intercourse is quite low. Boys start at a mean age of 11.2 years, whereas girls mean age at first sexual intercourse is 14.0 years. 28% of girls who already had sex, where forced to do so, when they had their first sex. Young People tend to have several partners. Boys more often have several sexual partners in life than girls do. Only 15% of sexually active boys have had one single partner, while 85% have had several partners. Among the girls, 48% had one partner so far, while 52% had several lovers, even up to more than ten. Only 16% of all students in the survey know that the first sexual intercourse can possibly lead to pregnancy of the girls. Similarly, only 30% of girls and 53% of boys know that a healthy looking sexual partner can possibly carry the HI-Virus and subsequently infect them with the deadly disease. Although 51% of student HIV infection, only 18% of students report to have ever used a condom during sexual intercourse. On the basis of information gathered during the survey we can conclude that the children and adolescents of Lindi Region are at risk, not only with regard to the early pregnancy, but also with regard to STIs and especially HIV/AIDS. The adolescents should no longer be forced to acquire their sexual and reproductive health knowledge on the basis of “trial and error”. Special attention needs to be paid to male education, as their common behavioral pattern bears a lot of risk for themselves and peer pressure of having sex is strong. Providing the young people with information is a positive contribution to promoting their human rights and adequate tool for assuring tha they can grow up safely.ud