Development of communication strategies for enhancing sexuality education between rural parents and their teenage children in Kwa Zulu-Natal province
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Authors
Mhlongo, Bongangani Glorius
Issue Date
2025-01-14
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES , Communication , Parents , Professional nurse , Rural , Sexuality , Sexuality education , Strategies , Teenagers
Alternative Title
Abstract
Sexuality education communication between parents and teenagers in the rural areas is an essential part of socialisation. Poor sexuality education communication at home may lead to risky sexual behaviour among teenagers resulting in teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections including Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This becomes a challenge to Primary Health Care clinic nurses in the rural areas who have to manage such teenagers. Thus, this study, which aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of sexuality education communication between parents and teenagers and the supportive role of the Primary Health Care clinic nurses in the rural areas to develop strategies to enhance their sexuality education communication.
The meta-theoretical departure was the Post-modernism paradigm that was followed. The study was conducted correctly within a qualitative approach utilising a descriptive phenomenology design. The theoretical assumptions of the study emerged from Vygotsky’s theoretical framework (1934) of social learning that guided the study.
The study was conducted in three purposively selected districts of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, namely, Umzinyathi, Umgungundlovu and Ugu. Purposive convenient sampling method was followed in selecting participants. Semi-structured interviews
were conducted with a sample of twenty-two teenagers and sixteen parents. Focus group discussions were also conducted with a sample of sixteen professional nurses. Data were analysed using Collaizzi’s framework for descriptive phenomenology. Five themes emerged from data analysis, namely: enablers of sexuality education communication, barriers to sexuality education communication, strategies used in sexuality education communication, resources available to support parents and teenagers on sexuality education and the content of sexuality education talks between parents and teenagers. Findings showed that sexuality education communication between parents and teenagers was limited, uncoordinated, covered insufficient content and ineffective. Barriers that were found to limit sexuality education communication included fear and culture. Furthermore, parents and teenagers lacked effective communication strategies to enhance sexuality education. To address that gap, three communication strategies were developed (parent, teenager and primary health care focused). The development process was guided by the Vygotsky theoretical framework for social learning known as Sociocultural theory of cognitive development and incorporated the New York Department of Health guiding principles for adolescent sexuality health education. These communication strategies were recommended for use by nursing and midwifery professional experts using strategy validation processes. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to implement and evaluate the impact of the strategies in the rural communities.
The strategies are expected to improve communication on sexuality education between parents and teenagers and to add to the body of knowledge in nursing related curriculum, research and practice. The strategies could also influence the implementation of policies related to sexual reproductive health for adolescents in the Primary Health Care settings and help improve service delivery by encouraging collaboration between parents, teenagers and Primary Health Care nurses.