Determinants of Reproductive Health Knowledge in Adolescent School-Going Girls, in Kilifi, Kenya

Beth Kangwana , Population Council
Karen Austrian, Population Council

We aimed to evaluate the levels of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge in adolescent girls, and factors associated with SRH knowledge in a rural Kenyan setting. Structured questionnaires were administered to a total of 3,489 girls aged 10–21 years, equally distributed across 140 public primary schools in Kilifi. A reproductive health (RH) knowledge score was derived from 21 questions focusing on fertility, marriage and sexually transmitted diseases. Univariate and multivariate random effects regression were used to measure the association between independent variables and SRH knowledge. Overall, the findings reveal that adult female mentors, mothers and schools which discussed SRH issues with girls had a significantly positive impact on knowledge; however there was a missed opportunity in education of girls on SRH within HIV testing services. This study provides evidence on ways to empower girls with knowledge to make informed decisions on their SRH through adolescence.

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 Presented in Session 10. Fertility, Family Planning, Sexual Behavior & Reproductive Health 2