Biomaterial Database

Adolescents' views on decision-making regarding risky sexual behaviour. 2004

I T Zwane, and P T Mngadi, and M P Nxumalo

UNISWA, Department of Community Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Mbabane, Swaziland.

OBJECTIVE To explore adolescents' views regarding risky sexual behaviour who were aged between 13 and 19 years. METHODS A purposive sample was drawn from adolescents who were participating in workshops, organized by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The sample consisted of a mix of in-school and out-of-school adolescents aged between 13 and 19 years. The overall aim of the workshops was to explore adolescents' views on decision-making regarding risky sexual behaviour. The educational status of participants lay between grades 0 and 12. A total of 24 focus group discussions were conducted, six in each of the four regions of Swaziland (Manzini, Hhohho, Lubombo and Shiselweni). Each group consisted of 6-12 participants. All focus group discussions were audiotaped and later transcribed. RESULTS The following four major themes emerged from content analysis: sexual behaviour, age at first intercourse, peer pressure and trust in the relationship. These were all found to be important factors in decision-making for risky sexual behaviours. CONCLUSIONS Obtaining a sexual history, motivation to use condoms, guidance and counselling on ways to reduce adolescents' risk of sexual exploitation, and peer education programmes, are all of importance when aiming to reduce risky sexual behaviour. CONCLUSIONS Adolescents should receive positive reinforcement for responsible sexual behaviour including abstinence and, where appropriate, use of active birth control.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003466	Cultural Characteristics	Those aspects or characteristics which identify a culture.	Ethnic Boundary Maintenance,Boundary Maintenance, Ethnic,Boundary Maintenances, Ethnic,Characteristic, Cultural,Characteristics, Cultural,Cultural Characteristic,Ethnic Boundary Maintenances,Maintenance, Ethnic Boundary,Maintenances, Ethnic Boundary
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000294	Adolescent Behavior	Any observable response or action of an adolescent.	Behavior, Adolescent,Adolescent Behaviors,Behaviors, Adolescent
D000297	Psychology, Adolescent	Field of psychology involving the study of normal and abnormal behavior of adolescents. It includes mental processes as well as observable responses.	Adolescent Psychology
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D012309	Risk-Taking	Undertaking a task involving a challenge for achievement or a desirable goal in which there is a lack of certainty or a fear of failure. It may also include the exhibiting of certain behaviors whose outcomes may present a risk to the individual or to those associated with him or her.	Risk Behavior,Behavior, Risk,Behaviors, Risk,Risk Behaviors,Risk Taking