International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health
Volume 29, Issue 5, 2017

Sexual health knowledge in a vulnerable population: A survey of adolescents in the bateyes of la Romana, Dominican Republic (Article)

Russell C.* , Martinez D. , Wong B. , Zandberg J. , Lin H. , Marlinga J. , Loh L.
  • a Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
  • b Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • c Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
  • d Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, ON, Canada
  • e Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States, 53rd Week, Brooklyn, NY, United States
  • f 53rd Week, Brooklyn, NY, United States, Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
  • g 53rd Week, Brooklyn, NY, United States, University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Toronto, ON, Canada, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada

Abstract

Objective: Undocumented Haitian migrants to the Dominican Republic often live in impoverished communities called bateyes. These contexts present challenges for adolescent sexual health education. To inform development of appropriate adolescent education programs, this study assessed their general sexual health knowledge. Methods: A locally developed sexual health knowledge survey was administered to 930 grade 7-12 adolescents attending six batey schools. Analysis of aggregated responses reviewed general demographics (e.g. age and sex), and identified top community sexual health concerns and most trusted information sources. Results: Top concerns included menstruation (25.5%), HIV (21.8%), and family planning (13.3%); stratification by sex identified discordance around menstruation (89.2% female, 10.8% male) and HIV (67.1% male, 32.9% female), but not family planning (47.2% male, 52.8% female). Parents were identified as the most trusted information source, irrespective of concern. Conclusion: Community concerns around menstruation matches extant developing-world literature that links menarche with female stigma and school absence. Interest in HIV and family planning suggests targeted promoted efforts would be of benefit. Trust in parents is reflective of cultural traditions and suggests potential knowledge impacts arising from effective parental education. © 2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

Author Keywords

Adolescent sexual health Needs assessment

Index Keywords

Needs Assessment male vulnerable population stratification menstruation female major clinical study education program nonhuman stigma sexual health Human immunodeficiency virus family planning literature Dominican Republic human Trust Adolescent
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85031906695&doi=10.1515%2fijamh-2015-0104&partnerID=40&md5=c6cc547912ccb35434c4c85ae5108540
DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2015-0104
ISSN: 03340139
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English