title: An innovative approach to using both cellphones and the radio to identify young people's sexual concerns in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As teenagers have easy access to both radio programs and cell phones, the current study used these tools so that young people could anonymously identify questions about sex and other related concerns in the urban environment of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The purpose of this healthcare intervention was to identify and address concerns raised by young people, which are related to sexual health, and which promote youth health.
  
  
  METHODS
  This healthcare intervention was conducted over a six month period and consisted of a survey carried out in Kinshasa. This focused on 14 to 24 old young people using phone calls on a radio program raising concerns related to sexuality. The radio program was jointly run by a journalist and a health professional who were required to reply immediately to questions from young people. All sexual health concerns were recorded and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty programs were broadcast in six months and 1,250 messages and calls were recorded: 880 (70%) from girls and 370 (30%) from boys, which represents an average of 32 interventions (of which 10 calls and 22 messages) per broadcast. Most questions came from 15-19- and 20-24-year-old girls and boys. Focus of girls' questions: menstrual cycle calculation and related concerns accounted for the majority (24%); sexual practices (16%), love relationships (15%) and virginity (14%). Boys' concerns are masturbation (and its consequences) (22%), sexual practices (19%), love relationships (18%) and worries about penis size (10%). Infections (genital and STI) and topics regarding HIV represent 9% and 4% of the questions asked by girls against 7% and 10% by boys. Concerns were mainly related to knowledge, attitudes and competences to be developed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concerns and sexual practices raised by teens about their sexual and emotional life have inspired the design of a practical guide for youth self-training and have steered the second phase of this interactive program towards supporting their responsible sexuality.
authors.affiliation: "Carnet de santé asbl", Communication Research and Health Promotion in DRC, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo ; Research Centre "Policies and Health Systems - International Health", School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gabriel Vodiena
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Nsakala
authors.affiliation: Research Centre "Policies and Health Systems - International Health", School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Coppieters
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Bio Statistics, School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Patrick Kalambayi
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Kayembe
keywords: Cell phone; Democratic Republic of Congo; Emotional and sex life; Radio; Young people
references.citation: BMC Health Serv Res. 2008 May 03;8:98
references.pmid: 18454869
references.citation: Sante Publique. 2012 Sep-Oct;24(5):403-15
references.pmid: 23472982