SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.35 número1Response to national policy imperatives for nursing education: A Western Cape case study índice de autoresíndice de assuntospesquisa de artigos
Home Pagelista alfabética de periódicos  

Serviços Personalizados

Artigo

Indicadores

Links relacionados

  • Em processo de indexaçãoCitado por Google
  • Em processo de indexaçãoSimilares em Google

Compartilhar


Curationis

versão On-line ISSN 2223-6279
versão impressa ISSN 0379-8577

Curationis vol.35 no.1 Pretoria Jan. 2012

 

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Knowledge, attitudes and practice of secondary school girls towards contraception in Limpopo Province

 

 

Dorah U. Ramathuba; Lunic B. Khoza; Mutshinyalo L. Netshikweta

Department of Advanced Nursing Science, University of Venda, South Africa

Correspondence

 

 


ABSTRACT

Unplanned teenage pregnancy constitutes an important health problem, whilst contraceptive services are free throughout South Africa and the number of Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) services is increasing. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of secondary school girls towards Contraception in Thulamela Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa. A quantitative descriptive study design was used and respondents were selected by convenience sampling from a population of secondary school girls, the sample consisting of 273 girls in Grades 10-12. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data and analysed by computing frequencies and percentages using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Findings showed that respondents were aware of different contraceptive methods that can prevent pregnancy. However, most did not have knowledge of the emergency contraceptive, intra-uterine device and female condom. Pressure from male partners, fear of parental reaction to the use of contraceptives, reluctance to use contraceptives, poor contraceptive education and lack of counselling were seen as the main causes of ineffective contraceptive use and non-utilisation. Possible modalities of intervention deal with providing contraceptive counselling and care to empower these school girls to make informed choices on reproductive health.


 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

References

Allan Guttmacher Institute, 2001, 'Sex education: Politicians, parents, teachers and teens'. The Guttamacher Report on Public Policy, 4(1), 1-25.         [ Links ]

Bam, N., 1994, 'An analysis of adolescent sexuality education programmes presented in secondary schools', MA dissertation, Rand Afrikaans University.         [ Links ]

Babbie, E. & Mouton, J., 2001, The Practice of Social Research, University Press, Oxford.         [ Links ]

Berry, L. & Hall, K. (Eds)., 1998, 'Adolescent Health', in South African Demographic and Health Survey 1998, viewed 10 April 2004, from http://www.doh.gov.za/facts/1998/ado.html        [ Links ]

Bisika, T., Short, M., Wontumi, G. & Truong, J., 2007, 'Repositioning Family Planning to reduce unmet needs', African Renaissance 4(3&4), 83-101.         [ Links ]

Burgess, V., Dziegielewski, S.F. & Green, C.E., 2005, 'Improving comfort about sex communication between parents and their adolescent: Practice-based research within a teen sexuality group', Brief treatment and crisis intervention 5(4), 379-390. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/brief-treatment/mhi023        [ Links ]

Burns, N. & Grove, S.K., 2001, Understanding nursing research, 3rd edn., Saunders, Philadelphia.         [ Links ]

Burns, N. & Grove, S.K., 2005, The practice of nursing research: conduct, critique and utilization, Saunders, Philadelphia.         [ Links ]

Department of Health, 2001, National contraception policy guidelines, Government Printer, Pretoria.         [ Links ]

Ehlers, V.J., 2003, 'Adolescent mothers knowledge and perceptions of contraceptives in Tshwane, South Africa', Health SA Gesondheid 8(1), 13-25.         [ Links ]

Ehlers, V.J. & Khoza, L.B., 2001, 'Reproductive health needs of adolescent mothers in the Lowveld region of the Northern Province of South Africa', Health & Hygiene 12(8), 2-9.         [ Links ]

Ehlers, V.J. & Maja, T., 2001, 'Adolescent mothers' perceptions of reproductive health services in the Garankuwa area of South Africa', African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery 3(2), 9-13.         [ Links ]

Ehlers, V.J., Maja, T., Sellers, E. & Gololo, M., 2000, 'Adolescent mothers' utilization of reproductive health services in Gauteng Province of South Africa', Curationis 23(3), 43-53.         [ Links ]

Grobler, C., Botma, Y., Jacobs, A.C. & Nel, M., 2007, 'Beliefs of grade six learners' regarding adolescent pregnancy and sex', Curationis 30(1), 32-40. PMid:17515314        [ Links ]

Kau, M., 1988, 'Sexual behaviour and contraceptive use by adolescent pupils in the Republic of Bophuthatswana', Curationis 11(4), 9-11. PMid:3219770        [ Links ]

Kellner, A., Jooste, K. & Jacobs, W., 2010, 'Perceptions of clients regarding family planning service delivery in a clinic of the greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council', Curationis 33(2), 13-24. PMid:21469512        [ Links ]

Khoza, L.B., 2004, 'Adolescent's knowledge, beliefs and experiences regarding sexual practices', Health SA Gesondheid 9(3), 34-41.         [ Links ]

Kistnasamy, E.J., Reddy, P. & Jordan, J., 2009, 'An evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practices of South African university students regarding the use of emergency contraception and of art as an advocacy tool', South African Family Practice 51(5), 423-426.         [ Links ]

Maja, T.M.M. & Ehlers, V.J., 2004, 'Contraceptive practices of women in northern Tshwane, Gauteng Province', Health SA Gesondheid 9(4), 40-51.         [ Links ]

Mashegoane, S., Moalusi, K.P., Ngoepe, M.A., & Peltzer, K., 2004, 'The prediction of condom use intention among South African University students', Psychological Reports 95(2), 407-417. http://dx.doi.org/10.2466/pr0.95.2.407-417, PMid:15587200        [ Links ]

Moore, S., & Parker, A. 1999. 'Barriers to safe sex: beliefs and attitudes among male and female adult heterosexuals across four relationship groups'. Journal of Health Psychology 4(2), 149-163.         [ Links ]

Mwaba, K., 2000, 'Perceptions of teenage pregnancy among South African adolescents', Health SA Gesondheid 5(3), 30-34.         [ Links ]

Oyedeji, O.A. & Cassimjee, R., 2006, 'A gendered study of young adult contraceptive use at one university in KwaZulu-Natal', Curationis 29(3), 7-14. PMid:17131604        [ Links ]

Peltzer, K., 2001, 'Factors affecting behaviours that address HIV risk among senior secondary school pupils in South Africa', Psychological Reports 89(1), 51-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.2466/pr0.2001.89.L51, PMid:11729551        [ Links ]

Polit, D.F. & Beck, B.P., 2004, Nursing research principles and methods. 7th edn., J.D. Lippincot Company, Philadelphia.         [ Links ]

Polit, D.F. & Beck, B.P., 2008, Nursing research principles and methods, 8th edn., J.D. Lippincot Company, Philadelphia.         [ Links ]

Polit, D.F. & Hungler, B.P., 2001, Nursing research principles and methods, 4th edn., J.D. Lippincot Company, Philadelphia.         [ Links ]

Ritcher, M.S. & Mlambo, G.T., 2005, 'Perceptions of rural teenage pregnancy', Health SA Gesondheid 10(2), 61-69.         [ Links ]

Sapire, K.E., 1988, 'Education for Sexuality', Nursing RSA/Verpleging 3(3), 19-21.         [ Links ]

Setiloane, C.W.M., 1990, 'Contraceptive use amongst urban and rural youths in South Africa - a comparative study', Curationis 13(4), 44-52.         [ Links ]

Short, M.B. & Rosenthal, S.L., 2003, Helping teenage girls make wise sexual decisions, Contemporary OB/GYN Archive, 48(5), 84-95.         [ Links ]

Yako, E.M. & Yako, J.M., 2007, 'A descriptive study of the reasons and consequences of pregnancy among single adolescent mothers in Lesotho', Curationis 30(3), 74-80. PMid:17703825        [ Links ]

Ziyani, I.S., Ehlers, V.J. & King, L.J., 2003, 'Socio-cultural deterrents to family planning practices among Swazi women', Curationis 26(3), 39-47. PMid:15027277        [ Links ]

Ziyani, I.S., Ehlers, V.J., 2006, 'Swazi Youths' attitudes and perceptions concerning adolescent pregnancies and contraception', Health SA Gesondheid 11(1), 31-42.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Dorah Ramathuba
Private Bag X5050
Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
Email: Dorah.ramathuba@univen.ac.za

Received: 17 Aug. 2011
Accepted: 19 Mar. 2012
Published: 11 July 2012

Creative Commons License Todo o conteúdo deste periódico, exceto onde está identificado, está licenciado sob uma Licença Creative Commons