The Attitudes of Kenyan In-School Adolescents Toward Sexual Autonomy
Abstract
This was a cross-sectional study to examine the attitudes of Kenyan in-school adolescents towards premarital sex, unwanted pregnancies/abortions and contraception. Data collection was undertaken using a structured questionnaire. Kenyan in-school adolescents have conservative attitudes toward premarital sex, disagreeing that adolescent boy and girls should be left alone to satisfy their sexual needs. The girls had the view that boys have uncontrollable sexual appetites. With regards to unwanted pregnancies, the majority of the respondents disagreed with allowing abortions for pregnant school girls while they agreed that a pregnant school girl should be allowed to return to school. However, the majority of the girls held the view that a school boy who had impregnated a school girl should be expelled from school. The attitudes of the respondents to contraception were also largely conservative. The conservative attitudes of the respondents conflicts with the findings of high levels of unsafe sex and reproductive ill- health among Kenyan adolescents. There is need to help Kenyan in-school adolescents to develop more realistic attitudes toward sexuality in order to improve their reproductive health (Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[1]:33-41).
RĖSUMĖ
Attitudes des adolescentes Kenyanne qui sont encore etudiantes envers l’autonomie sexuelle. Il s’agissait d’une étude transversale destinée à étudier les attitudes des adolescentes Kenyannes qui sont encore étudiantes envers le sexe avant le mariage, les grossesses non voulues/l’avortement et la contraception. Nous avons collectionné les données à l’aide d’un questionnaire structuré. Les adolescentes Kenyanne qui sont encore étudiantes ont des attitudes conservatrices envers le sexe avant le mariage, n’étant pas d’accord que les adolescents et les adolescentes devraient être libres à satisfaire leurs besoins sexuels. Les filles avaient l’impression que les garçons avaient des appétits sexuels irrépressible. En ce qui concerne les grossesses non voulues, la majorité des enquêtés n’étaient pas d’accord que les étudiantes enceintes aient recours à l’avortement alors qu’ils sont d’accord que les filles enceintes peuvent retourner a l’école. Pourtant, la majorité des filles avaient l’impression que l’étudiante qui est responsable pour la grossesse doit être renvoyé de l’école. Les attitudes des enquêtés envers la contraception étaient aussi en grande partie conservatrices. Les attitudes conservatrices des enquêtés ne correspondent pas aux niveaux élevés du sexe dangereux et la mauvaise santé de la reproduction chez les adolescents Kenyanne. Il est nécessaire d’aider les adolescents kenyans qui sont encore étudiants à manifester des attitudes plus réalistes envers la sexualité afin d’améliorer leur santé de la reproduction (Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[1]:33-41).
KEYWORDS: Sexual autonomy, Unwanted pregnancies, Premarital sex, Contraceptives, In-school adolescents, Kenya
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