Assessment of Students' Knowledge and Awareness on Reproductive Health

Abstract

The issue of Reproductive Healthexhibits a degree of importance, but society still has a level of stigma attached to it, and its discussion is rather ignored. Because of this, the researchers were prompted to conduct a study that assessed the knowledge and awareness of students from the Grades 9 to 12 levels. The study is a quantitative research as its goal is to assess the knowledge and awareness of grades 9 to 12 students of St. Mary’s College Quezon City (SMCQC). Reproductive health topics include concepts related to human sexual anatomy, sexually transmitted diseases and its prevention/s, and proper approaches to sexual intercourse. To ensure the comprehensive nature of the study, the researchers have chosen the research to be non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive research design. A non-conventional 3-part survey questionnaire which includes a standardized test as well as a Self-Concept was used as the tool for data collection. (The standardized test is sourced from “Reproductive Health Lessons: A Supplemental Curriculum for Young People” by the International Youth Foundation (IYF)). For the Self-Concept portion of the survey, a 5-point Likert Scale was utilized. Most students from the Grades 9 to 12 students have insufficient knowledge on effective contraceptives to prevent pregnancy and STI's although half of the respondents are aware of how the process of pregnancy works. Most students are knowledgeable on how to prevent sexual threats and which common substance abuse should be avoided. Majority of the respondents are aware of the importance of RH (Reproductive Health) and how it impacts themselves as an individual. They are also earnest and open for discussions regarding RH. Most of the students somewhat agree that they are receiving proper education on RH from media, school, their families, and peers. Most of the students also somewhat agree that they give time to understanding topics regarding RH because they consider it to be a substantial matter for them to focus on. It can be said that most students are aware of the importance and the impact of reproductive health in their lives, though there was noted insufficiency knowledge on contraceptives. Future research may consider measuring how such low knowledge on contraceptives are affected by their culture or the institution the respondents are from.