Journal of Reproductive Health and Contraception

Awareness of Reproductive Health amongst Rural School Dropout Girls

Introduction: In schools adolescents get opportunities to share personal perceptions, doubts with peers, teachers, not possible if they do not go to school. Lack of awareness, information about reproductive health might lead to problems during adolescence, future life. Objectives: To know awareness of reproductive health, among rural school dropout girls. Materials and methods: Present study was carried out in 772 rural adolescent school dropout girls, neither going to school, nor on fixed job, nor married from 53 villages near medical institute. Because of resource crunch, study visits were clubbed with nurse midwives’ visits to villages for community based maternal care. After consent information was collected by interviews in privacy, mostly at girls homes with pre-tested questionnaire, in local language by social worker. Results: Of 772, girls 760 had gone to schools, stopped, (drop outs), 12 had never gone. In 16.70% of 772 reason was financial, 20.33% said that school was far off, 20.20% were not allowed to go because they were girls, 25.51% had other reasons. 17.05% of 760 discontinued because had failed in examination, could not study, Only 58.03% of 772 girls had heard of menstruation pre menarche. Meaning of menarche was known to 41.96%. Care to be taken during menstruation was known only to 15.96% pre menarche. When menstruation occurred reaction was fear in 26.55%, anxiety in 22.40%, shyness 18.31%, irritability 13.86%. However 18.91% had no reaction, with no difference whether they knew or not. Whatever little bit girls knew, 18.97% were told by mothers. 18.97% friends, 14.73% doctors in meets/programs. Over all 58.03% had heard about contraception. Ninety (20.08)% girls had some knowledge of oral contraceptive pills, 18.97% had heard about condom. Knowledge about HIV AIDS was in 58.3%, 27.00% b from radio, 26.78% television, 23.88% by doctors. Only 38.61% knew that HIV was sexually transmitted disease. Knowledge about sexual relationship was only in seven girls. Conclusion: A wholesome approach for community based awareness encompassing basics in reproductive health is essential, more so because some rural girls never go to school many stop going early in their life due to various reasons.

Author(s): Chhabra S and Annapurna

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