PARENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND INTENTIONS ON PROVISION OF CONDOM EDUCATION FOR ADOLESCENTS IN THE CAPE COAST METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT

This study focused on parents’ perceptions and intentions to provide condom education for adolescents. A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study was employed using self-administered questionnaire. A total of 398 parents from rural and urban communities in Cape Coast Metropolis completed the questionnaire. The study discovered that though some adolescents have knowledge on condom use, parental contribution to such knowledge was very minimal because they do not feel comfortable discussing such topics with their adolescent children, and cited media advertisement (billboards & radio) and friends as major sources of adolescents’ condom education. Parents perceive that condom education must take place in the school setting at the JHS level with female teachers handling such education. The study also found that the perception that condom education for the adolescent will have an effect such as initiating them into sexual experimentation influences their readiness or intention to provide their adolescent children with condom education. In view of this, it is recommended that public health education programs should target parents to sensitize them on the essence to communicate and educate their adolescent children on condom use in order to curb misinformation and misuse about condom usage by adolescents to help improve their sexual health now and in adulthood.