Adolescents' Communication with Parents, Other Adult Family Members and Teachers on Sexuality: Effects of School-Based Interventions in South Africa and Tanzania.
Cluster-randomized controlled trials were carried out to examine effects on sexual practices of school-based interventions among adolescents in three sites in sub-Saharan Africa. In this publication, effects on communication about sexuality with significant adults (including parents) and such communication as a mediator of other outcomes were examined. Belonging to the intervention group was significantly associated with fewer reported sexual debuts in Dar es Salaam only (OR 0.648). Effects on communication with adults about sexuality issues were stronger for Dar es Salaam than for the other sites. In Dar, increase in communication with adults proved to partially mediate associations between intervention and a number of social cognition outcomes. The hypothesized mediational effect of communication on sexual debut was not confirmed. Promoting intergenerational communication on sexuality issues is associated with several positive outcomes and therefore important. Future research should search for mediating factors influencing behavior beyond those examined in the present study.
African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), P.O. Box 27691-00506, Nairobi, Kenya.|Department of Health Promotion and Development, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7807, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
Francis
F
Namisi
Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Nydalen, P.O. Box 4404, 0403, Oslo, Norway. Leif.Edvard.Aaro@fhi.no.|Department of Health Promotion and Development, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7807, 5020, Bergen, Norway. Leif.Edvard.Aaro@fhi.no.
Leif Edvard
LE
Aarø
Department of Psychiatry, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Sylvia
S
Kaaya
Department of Psychiatry, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Lusajo J
LJ
Kajula
Department of Psychiatry, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Gad P
GP
Kilonzo
Department of Medical Sciences, Public Health and Health Promotion, School of Health Sciences, University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga, 0727, South Africa.
Hans
H
Onya
Department of Health Promotion and Development, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7807, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
Annegreet
A
Wubs
Health Systems Research Unit, Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, P.O. Box 19070, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa.|Adolescent Health Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, University Private Bag, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa.
Catherine
C
Mathews
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D012574:Schools; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019529:Sexuality; D013019:South Africa; D013636:Tanzania
Adolescents; HIV/AIDS; Interpersonal communication; Intervention; Statistical mediation