Dynamics of Parent-Adolescent Communication on Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.
Source
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Off United Nations Road, P. O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, sajokm@gmail.com.Abstract
Communication
between parents and their adolescent children has been identified as
one of the potential protective factors for adolescent sexual health.
Qualitative exploration of sexual health communication with adolescents
aged 12-15 (N = 114) and a sub-group of the parents (N = 20) was carried
out. Four major themes emerged: reasons for parent-adolescent
communications, or lack thereof; the focus of parental messages; the
moral of the message; and the barriers to communication between parents
and adolescents. Findings revealed similarities and discrepancies in
views and perceptions between parents and adolescents. Adolescents and
parents suggested that some sexual health communication was happening.
Parents were reportedly likely to use fear to ensure that their children
do not engage in risky sexual activities, while adolescents reported
that conversations with their parents were mostly ambiguous and filled
with warnings about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. Several communication
barriers were reported by parents and adolescents. Parents of
adolescents would benefit from HIV/AIDS specific communication skills.
- PMID:
- 24101099
- [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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