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Evaluation of a Sexual and Reproductive Health Education Programme: Students’ Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour in Bolgatanga Municipality, Northern Ghana

Jolien van der Geugten(1), Berno van Meijel(2), Marion H.G. den Uyl(3), Nanne K de Vries(4),


(1) Faculty of Health, Sports and Social Work, Research Centre Mental Health Nursing, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam; Maastricht University Medical Centre+, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care Maastricht
(2) Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, The Hague
(3) Faculty of Social Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam,
(4) Maastricht University Medical Centre+, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care Maastricht
Corresponding Author

Abstract


Evaluation research concerning the impact of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education in sub-Saharan Africa is scarce. This study obtained more insight into the knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions of students concerning SRH in Bolgatanga municipality in northern Ghana, and studied the effects of an SRH programme for this group. This quasi-experimental study used a pre-post-intervention design, with an SRH programme as intervention. A questionnaire was filled in by 312 students before, and by 272 students after the SRH programme. The results showed that before the programme, students answered half of the knowledge questions correctly, they thought positively about deciding for themselves whether to have a relationship and whether to have sex, and their intentions towards SRH behaviour, such as condom use were positive. The SRH intervention led to a small but significant increase in the students’ knowledge. It was also found that the attitude of the students aged 18-20 significantly improved. Finally, it was found that female students aged 18-20 were more positive towards changing their behaviour after following the SRH programme. It can be concluded that the impact of the SRH programme in general was positive. Significant effects were found for gender and age. (Afr J Reprod Health 2015; 19[3]: 126-136).

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