A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Sexual Health among Adolescents in Selected School of New Delhi

Abstract

Adolescence can be defined biologically, as the physical transition marked by the onset of puberty and the termination of physical growth; cognitively, as changes in the ability to think abstractly and multidimensionally or socially, as a period of preparation for adult roles. Major pubertal and biological changes include changes to the sex organs, height, weight, and muscle mass, as well as major changes in brain structure and organization. Cognitive advances encompass both increment in knowledge and in the ability to think abstractly and to reason more effectively. A quantitative and non-experimental research approach with a descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Sample consisted of 100 adolescents of age 13 to 16 years studying in 9 to 11th class, Tagore Senior Secondary School, New Delhi, selected using systematic random sampling technique. Structured knowledge questionnaire (SKQ) to assess the knowledge regarding sexual health among adolescents and attitude scale to assess the attitude regarding sexual health among adolescents was used. Results showed that approximately 50% were having good knowledge, 32% were having fair knowledge and 18% were having poor knowledge regarding sexual health. More than half of the adolescents had unfavorable attitude regarding sexual health. The study revealed that there was significant relationship between knowledge and demographic profiles of the study subjects, i.e. religion, father’s educational status and mother’s educational status.