| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2022 | Volume
: 10
| Issue : 3 | Page : 35-40 |
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Knowledge, attitude, and practices related to reproductive and sexual health among adolescent girls in a rural community of Telangana
Arun Kiran Soodi Reddy1, Soumya Varanasi2, Shaik Riyaz Ameer3, Kalyan Kumar Paul4, Anantha Akhila Reddy5
1 Department of Community Medicine, Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
2 Department of Community Medicine, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
3 Primary Health Care Center, Ibra, Oman
4 Department of Community Medicine, ESI-PGIMSR and ESIC Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
5 Masters in Public Health, Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Correspondence Address:
Arun Kiran Soodi Reddy
Department of Community Medicine, Malla Reddy Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/mjhs.mjhs_20_21
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Background: The majority of adolescents lack basic knowledge about puberty, growth during puberty, safe sex, and hygiene. Unawareness about safe sex and protection and contraceptives may increase the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), unwanted pregnancies, etc.
Objective: The objective of this study was to study knowledge, attitude, and practices related to reproductive and sexual health among adolescent girls in a rural community of Telangana.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in secondary schools which were located in the rural field practice area of a medical college. All schools in the village were included in the study. Study participants were 6th–10th standard adolescent school girls, with the age group of 10–19 years. A questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitude, and practices related to reproductive and sexual health was used.
Results: The mean age was 13.6 ± 1.386 years. Eighty-four percentage were from nuclear families and only 10% were from below poverty line families, with a mean per capita income of 2626 ± 1708 international normalized ratio. Seventy-five percentage were aware about puberty; source of information was mothers (67%). Ninety percentage did not know how women become pregnant, STDs, and HIV/AIDS. Only 30% said that oral pills were effective against pregnancy and 95% did not know that condoms prevent STDs. Sixty percentage said their schools covered classes regarding normal anatomy, physiology, menstrual hygiene, and reproductive health, of which only 52% attended this topic. About 82.4% of the subjects felt that it is necessary to maintain cleanliness during menstruation. Seventy-five percentage were using sanitary napkins, and 80% were washing hands after changing sanitary napkins with soap and water. Twenty percentage were throwing directly into drainage or dustbin.
Conclusion: Knowledge related to reproductive and sexual health among adolescent girls in these adolescent girls was poor and their attitude and practices were also poor.
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