title: How do Iranian female adolescents express their health education needs? A needs assessment with qualitative thematic analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adolescent girls have little knowledge about health information, especially about more sensitive issues. We know little about the perspectives of adolescents about their educational health needs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of Iranian female adolescents about their educational health needs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study participants were 67 female adolescents aged 12-19 years currently in junior high and high schools in the city of Sari, located in northern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study is a qualitative study of thematic analysis. The 67 female adolescents participated in eight focus group discussions (FGDs). The participants were selected from schools in Mazandaran, Iran. The sampling methods were purposeful sampling and a maximum variance sampling method. All tape-recorded data was fully transcribed, and thematic analysis was performed to identify key themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings of this research around adolescent health education needs emphasized four overarching themes, including appropriate content, suitable method, well-informed sources and an appropriate age for education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that the promotion of reproductive health knowledge and life skills are the most important health education needs. Education about these issues via parents, schools and health care providers could promote the health status of adolescents.
authors: Zohreh
authors: Z
authors: Shahhosseini
authors: Zeinab
authors: Z
authors: Hamzehgardeshi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007492:Iran; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012424:Rural Population; D012649:Self Concept; D012736:Sex Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult