Peer-reviewed article
"Sexuality education is a double edge-sword…": a qualitative study on perceptions of school teachers on sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls in Eastern India.
Alekhya G, Chinnadurai A, Dora S, Patro SK, Sahu DP et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001Teachers in Odisha state, India were interviewed about adolescent girls' sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in schools. The study found that girls have poor knowledge about menstrual health and SRH, the curriculum is inadequate, and cultural taboos prevent girls from attending school during menstruation. Teachers agreed that comprehensive SRH education is needed but identified barriers including lack of teacher training, insufficient parental involvement, myths about menstruation, and poor access to SRH services.
Key points
- Adolescent girls showed poor SRH knowledge, particularly regarding menstrual health
- Teachers identified curriculum inadequacies and need for comprehensive SRH education
- Cultural myths and taboos restrict menstruating girls from attending school during exams
- Parents and communities lack involvement in SRH education due to cultural barriers
- Girls have poor awareness of and access to available SRH services
Limitations
The study captures only teachers' perceptions and not the experiences or knowledge of adolescent girls themselves. The findings are specific to secondary girls' schools in Odisha and may not represent all of India or different school types.
Abstract
Background India has the world's largest adolescent population, and adolescent girls, in particular, face distinct and pressing challenges related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Given that the majority of adolescent girls attend school, with teachers closely monitoring and interacting with them, the present study aimed to explore the current landscape of adolescent girls' SRH through the perception of schoolteachers in Eastern India. Methods The study adopted a descriptive qualitative approach by conducting twelve in-depth interviews among principals and teachers of eight secondary girls' high schools in Odisha state, India. School teachers were interviewed about SRH awareness and issues faced by adolescent girls, the existing SRH curriculum, and various service provisions on SRH. The in-depth interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated to English, and independently coded by two researchers. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was done by using MAXQDA software to identify and interpret emergent themes. Results Four thematic areas and fourteen sub-themes emerged from the transcript. The findings underscore a unanimous agreement among teachers on the need for comprehensive SRH education. Key insights include adolescent girls' poor SRH knowledge, particularly in menstrual health, curriculum inadequacies, inadequate parental and community involvement, existing myths and taboos such as restricting menstruating girls from attending schools during exams, poor awareness and access to SRH services, and misuse of digital media. Conclusion In the current Indian setting, the approach to adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) falls short. The study advocates for integrating comprehensive SRH education into the school curriculum, enhancing teacher training, generating awareness on existing ASRH services, and involving the community and parents in confronting cultural barriers. Additionally, leveraging technology and establishing monitoring frameworks are crucial for effective implementation and sustained impact on ASRH.