Factors Associated with Knowledge and Attitudes on Sexual Reproductive Health among Secondary Schools Students in Muhanga District, Rwanda

Abstract

This study sought to assess the socio-demographic variables linked with secondary school students' awareness of sexual wellness, to describe the knowledge and attitudes level regarding sexual reproductive health among secondary schools’ students, to assess factors associated with knowledge and attitudes on sexual reproductive health among secondary schools students in Muhanga District. The study was a descriptive in nature whereby the characteristics of various variables were analyzed, described and some relationships were established. Thus, it applied quantitative data. The study emphasized on secondary school students from level four to level six in Muhanga District. Therefore, the study excluded a small portion of the students that belong to the targeted population that will be out of the class attendance during the period of data collection of the researcher. From the total population of 2270, the researcher selected a sample of 96 students that participated in the study as the respondents and the questionnaire were applied to extract relevant information. The study revealed that the respondents have adequate knowledge and attitudes relevant to sexual reproductive health as proved by the following fact files retrieved from the results of the study. Most of the respondents that are 85.4% covering the average of 4.24 know well that Pregnancy can when there is union of ovum and sperm issued from sexual intercourse. The students have knowledge and attitudes that condoms can prevent pregnancy as they agreed the statement at 90.2% reflecting the mean of 4.01. The students have adequate that relevant knowledge as they admitted the statement at 97.3%. The most influencer factor of sexual reproductive knowledge and attitudes of secondary school students are health promotion in schools at 93.55%, availability of reproductive health services contributes to sexual reproductive health of secondary school students at 74.8%. Thus, the researcher found out that knowledge and attitudes on sexual reproductive health is influenced by education, place of residence, health promotion in schools and availability of reproductive health services at moderate level.