Reproductive health needs of adolescent males in rural Pakistan: an exploratory study

Abstract

This is the first study done to explore reproductive health needs of adolescent males in Pakistan. The purpose of this exploratory study was to obtain qualitative information on existing knowledge and perceptions on puberty and reproductive health needs and to identify effective communication channels for imparting reproductive health education to adolescent males. Seventy-eight unmarried adolescent males participated in the survey, conducted through in-depth interviews by a semi-structured questionnaire using purposive sampling, in eight rural districts in Pakistan. The study pointed out that there existed misconceptions and gaps in knowledge regarding puberty and reproductive health. These young men also have poor knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases dynamics. The communication between parents or siblings on the said issues was found to be poor and they mainly get information from friends followed by the media. The majority showed interest in getting quality information. Multiple entry points and settings can be used to enhance access to information and services. In-school adolescents could be effectively approached through teachers and peer group. Out-of-school adolescents could be reached via media and local health care providers. The results imply that there is a dire need for reproductive health education for adolescent males and suggestions from this study might be utilized when initiating any reproductive health educational service for male adolescents in rural areas in Pakistan. Future efforts should thus focus on assuring access to timely, comprehensive and high-quality reproductive health education for all teenagers and reducing gaps in access related to gender and school attendance.