Reproductive And Sexual Health Problems And Its Coping Mechanism Among Adolescents And Youth With Disability Of Bardia

Abstract

Summary: The study entitled “Sexual and Reproductive Health Problems and Its Coping Mechanism Among AYDs of Bardia” was a descriptive and cross-sectional study which has following objectives, Objectives: a. To describe the socio-demographic characteristics of Adolescents and Youth with Disabilities b. To reveal causes of disabilities of AYDs, c. To identify the reproductive and sexual health problems Adolescents and Youth with Disabilities. d. To find out coping mechanism against reproductive and sexual health problems. Methodology The study was undertaken in Bardia district of Nepal. A total of 6327 (projected population) was the population of people with disability. A sum of 350 AYDs was sampled by using purposive sampling method. It was a total of 10 AYDs from each VDC and 40 from one municipality. The data collection tool was Interview schedule. The data was collected in the month of May 2008 by trained and experienced enumerators. The collected data was analyzed by the help of SPSS. Simple statistical calculation i.e. frequency, percent, mean, median, standard deviation etc have been done for discussion of the data. Major Findings a) The total number of male and female AYDs consists of 48.28 percent male and 51.7 percent female. The sex ratio was found to be 93.4 male per 100 female. b) The average age of male and female respondents was 17.9 and 18.4 year respectively. c) The large segment of respondents was in the age group 20-24, which consists of male 33.1 percent and female 41.1 percent. d) The vast majority of respondents followed Hinduism (male 96 percent and female 95 percent) followed by Christianity (3.6 percent male and 0.6 percent female) and Islam (4.4 percent female). e) The large number of respondents had primary education (24.3 percent male and 28.2 percent female) followed by LS level (32 percent male and 13.8 percent female) and illiterate (16 percent male and 28.2 percent female). f) Majority of respondents belongs to single family (63.3 percent were male and 55.2 percent female) g) The average size of family was 7.7. The majority of respondents had 6 to 10 (46.7 percent male and 47 percent female) h) The majority of respondent’s disability had LLD (85 percent male and 52.9 percent female) followed by Both LLD and ULD (26.6 percent male and 22.7 percent female), ULD (10.1 percent male and 7.2 female), blind (3 percent male and 5 percent female), visual impaired (8.9 percent male and 9.9 percent female) and HNSD (only 1.2 percent male). i) The causes of disability were diseases (46.2 percent male and 42 percent female), congenital/birth defects (27.8 percent male and 30.4 percent female), accidents (25.4 percent male and 27.6 percent female) and spine disorder (only 0.6 percent male). j) A total of 16.6 percent male and 22.7 percent female respondents were married. k) The unmarried respondents (61 percent male and 42.9 percent female) had a plan to get married in future. l) The majority of respondents i.e. 71 percent male and 56.4 percent female had girl or boy friends respectively. m) The minority of respondents (20.1 percent male and 26 percent female) had sexual contact. n) A total of 3 percent male 19. 3 percent female faced pressure for sexual contact. o) The coping mechanism against pressure were shouting/crying (60 percent and 31.4 percent respectively) complaining to family (25.7 percent female) becoming angry or showing angry face (14.3 percent female), request not to do so (40 percent male and 20 percent female) and complaining police (8.6 percent female). p) A sum of 66.3 percent male and 43.1 percent female had sexual desire. q) The ways to express or satisfying sexual desire were talking with opposite sex (56.8 percent male and 68 percent female), watching pornography (2.7 percent and 8 percent female), masturbation (21.6 percent male and 4 percent female) and reading porno literatures (18.9 percent male and 20 percent female). r) The preferable sexual behaviour by respondents were abstinence (17.2 percent male and 23.2 percent female), masturbation (23.8 percent male and 5.5 percent female), vaginal intercourse (22.5 percent and female 11 percent), oro-genital sex (only 4.1 percent male), analsex (0.6 percent male and 6.1 percent female). s) Only 3 percent male and 20.4 percent female were found sexually exploited. t) Various coping mechanism among AYDs were observed against sexual exploitation 40 percent male and 24.3 percent female used to ask help from other while, 40.5 percent and 8.1 percent females respectively used to run away and fighting. Similarly 40 percent male and 13.5 percent female used to request not to do so and finally 60 percent male and 37.8 percent female used to complaining to their friends. u) The average of initiation of wet dream and menstruation in AYDs respondents was 15.16 and 13.8 years respectively. v) The coping mechanisms against the problems were discuss with their friends (47.3 percent male and 21.1 percent female), check ups and treatment (8.9 percent male and 20.4 percent female), nothing done (43.7 percent male and 58.4 percent female ) w) A sum of 14.2 percent male and 19.3 percent female were sexually dysfunctional. x) A total of 10.8 percent and 11.6 percent were perceived that they were infected by STDs. y) The sources of knowledge related to SRH were friends/peers (59.5 percent male and 46.4 percent female), family (15.4 percent male and 40.3 percent female), school/teachers (29 percent male and 17.7 percent female), neighbors/relatives (3.6 percent male and 6.6 percent female) and other like media, newspaper, book, advertisement (11.2 percent male and 4.4 percent female).