Youth discuss exposure to formal family life education

FAMILY life education (FLE) topics — menstruation, contraception and pregnancy — are widely discussed among Jamaican parents and their children, the 2021 Reproductive Health Survey, Jamaica shows, though over one-third of young people polled stated that the Internet/social media (37.7 per cent females, 39.2 per cent males) were their preferred sources to consult to get information about FLE topics. Parent/other relatives came in second, with 35 per cent for females and 28.4 per cent for males.

The survey showed that seven of every 10 young women had received information from their parents/guardians about menstruation; more young women (66.1 per cent) than young men (58.5 per cent) had received information about pregnancy from their parents/guardians; and 57.3 per cent of young men and 41.3 per cent of young women had received information about contraception.

During the survey, young people were asked if they had ever discussed with their parents/guardians the three specified family life education topics. Those who reported having such discussions were further asked to share their opinion on the degree of difficulty. Young men were not asked if they had discussed menstruation with a parent/guardian, but only if they had discussed condoms as a method of contraception with a parent/guardian.

Most young women (75.9 per cent ) who received information about menstruation from their parents stated that the discussion was easy to have; 19.5 per cent said it was somewhat difficult; and 4.5 per cent said it was extremely difficult. A larger percentage of young women who resided in other urban centres (OUCs, 78.1 per cent ) and those with no sexual experience (78.8 per cent) found the discussion easy. More young women with post-secondary level education (78.2 per cent) and secondary level education (75.7 per cent) found the discussion easier than those with less than secondary level education (73.6 per cent). OUCs include parish capitals and urban centres in all parishes except Kingston and St Andrew.

Regarding pregnancy, the data showed that most of the youngsters who received information stated that the discussion was easy to have with parents/guardians (young women 72.7 per cent; young men 69.2 per cent ). One quarter of young women (25.3 per cent) and one-fifth of young men (20.5 per cent) said the discussion was somewhat difficult. Only 6.8 per cent of young women and 4.5 per cent of young men said the conversation was extremely difficult.

A higher percentage of young women in the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA, 70.9 per cent), those in the 20-22 age group (67.5 per cent), young women in the lowest wealth quintile (71.6 per cent), and those with no sexual experience (67.8 per cent) stated that they received information about pregnancy from a parent/guardian.

More young women with secondary education (69.5 per cent) indicated that they received information from parents about pregnancy than those with less than secondary level education (62.1 per cent) and post-secondary level education (61.7 per cent). Young women residing in the KMA (78.9 per cent), those with secondary level education (73.8 per cent), and those with no sexual experience (78.7 per cent) found the discussion about pregnancy easiest. More young men who lived in KMA (66.0 per cent), those 22-24 years (65.9 per cent), those with post-secondary level education (68.6 per cent) and those who are sexually experienced (61.6 per cent) reported that they received information from a parent/guardian about pregnancy. A higher proportion of young men who resided in KMA (84.4 per cent), with secondary level education (71.3 per cent) and those who were sexually active (69.3 per cent) stated that the conversation was easy.

Talking to parents/guardians about contraception was more prevalent among young men (57.3 per cent) than young women (41.3 per cent). Of those who received information about contraception, seven of every 10 young men (71.5 per cent) and young women (71.9 per cent) stated that the topic was easy to discuss. Approximately one-quarter (24.4 per cent) of young men and 20.1 per cent of young women said the discussion was somewhat difficult, while 6.4 per cent of young women and 2.4 per cent of young men said the discussion was extremely difficult.

More young women who lived in KMA (50.3 per cent ) than those residing in rural areas (41.9 per cent) and OUCs (34.0 per cent) received information from parents/guardians about contraceptives. More young women with secondary level education (45.6 per cent) had this discussion with parents/guardians than those with post-secondary level education (38.4 per cent) and less than secondary level education (25.2 per cent). A higher percentage of young women with post-secondary education (76.7 per cent ) thought the discussion was easy compared to 71.4 per cent of those with secondary level education.

Meanwhile, youths were asked if they had ever received any class or course on FLE in or outside of school. In 2021, nine out of every 10 young men stated that the FLE topics discussed were pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and STIs in the FLE course in which they participated. This was followed by pregnancy and how it occurs (89.2 per cent) and the menstrual cycle (74.1 per cent). Like young women, other modern methods of contraception were the least covered FLE topic among young men.

For young women, the proportion who had received FLE courses both in and outside of school has gradually increased from 19.6 per cent in 1997 to 48.9 per cent in 2021.

Young women and men were asked who/what was their preferred source of information on family life and sex education topics. Over one-third of young women stated that internet/social media (37.7 per cent ) and parent/other relatives (35.0 per cent ) were their preferred sources to consult to get information about FLE topics. Another 10.4 per cent of young women stated that teachers were their preferred source; 8.2 per cent said peers/friends; 2.0 per cent said printed materials; and 1.5 per cent said mass media. Similar to the findings for young women, the two most preferred sources of FLE information for young men were the internet/social media (39.2 per cent ) followed by parent/other relatives (28.4 per cent ). Another 12.2 per cent of young men said teacher, and 10.9 per cent said, peers/friends. The least preferred sources among young men were mass media (2.8 per cent) and printed materials (1.7 per cent).

The household survey was conducted by Statistical Institute of Jamaica on behalf of National Family Planning Board. It covers fertility; contraceptive use, knowledge, attitude and practice; reproductive health; maternal and newborn care; infant and child mortality; sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS; gender-based violence; and the reproductive health of respondents 15-49 years. The data also generated indicators on Jamaica’s progress towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #3 on good health and well-being, including SDG 3.7.1 on contraceptive use, and estimates for SDG #5 on gender equality. The information gleaned is used in determining programme implementation and other vital issues specific to how the country deals with matters relating to reproductive health.

There were 5,008 participants — 3,224 women and 1,784 males. Close to one-half (46.1 per cent) of respondents resided in rural areas, less than one-third (31.6 per cent) resided in other urban centres, while 22.3 per cent lived in the KMA.