Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2017 | Research
Effects of parents training on parents’ knowledge and attitudes about adolescent sexuality in Accra Metropolis, Ghana
Authors:
Elizabeth Aku Baku, Isaac Agbemafle, Richard M. K. Adanu
Published in:
Reproductive Health
|
Issue 1/2017
Login to get access
Abstract
Background
Attitudes of parents about discussing sexuality issues with adolescents may or may not be influenced by their level of knowledge on such issues. This study seeks to examine parents’ training and its effects on parent knowledge and attitudes about sexuality in Accra Metropolis, Ghana.
Methods
This was an intervention study consisting of 145 parents who were recruited through their wards from 12 public junior high schools in Accra Metropolis. Parents were randomized equally into intervention and control groups and the intervention group received a 4 weeks training on adolescent sexuality topics. At pre-intervention and 3 months after parent training, parents answered questions on knowledge and attitudes about adolescent sexuality. Changes in baseline and follow-up within and between groups were compared using the difference- in-difference model and logistic regression.
Results
The ages of the parents ranged from 26 to 63 years and 44.1% of them completed middle school. There were 69.9% and 59.7% mothers in the intervention and control groups respectively. At pre-intervention, 21.9% of parents in the intervention group had very good knowledge but this increased significantly to 60% three months after the training. Knowledge about sexuality increased to a lesser degree from 18.1% to 34.7% in the control group. Parents’ positive attitudes towards adolescents’ sexuality increased by 50% in the intervention group compared to 20% in the control group. There were significant differences in knowledge on adolescent sexuality as parents in the intervention group had a greater positive effect than parents in the control group (28.7%, p-value = <0.001). Regarding attitudes of parents towards allowing adolescents to use family planning services (FPS), there was a greater positive effect on parents in the intervention group compared to those in the control group (37.4%; p- value = <0.001). Being part of the intervention group increased the odds of parent knowledge on adolescent sexuality by 16-fold (p-value = <0.001), whilst being in the intervention group increased the likelihood of parents’ attitudes towards allowing adolescents to use FPS by four fold (p-value = 0.039).
Conclusion
Training parents for a relatively short period of time can positively impact parents’ knowledge and attitudes about adolescent sexuality. This may have beneficial effects on adolescent reproductive health.