| dc.description.abstract | School based reproductive health education depends on teachers, students and other factors
related to schools. Factors related to teachers can be assessed through knowledge, attitudes and
practice of them. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among grade six to eleven
science and health science teachers in secondary schools to assess their attitudes related to
teaching reproductive health. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaire
among science teachers (n=270) in Dehiowita educational zone in Kegalle district, Sri Lanka
during January 2022 to March 2022. Attitudes were described as positive or negative related to
positive or negative statements towards good attitude. 51.7% of teachers had a positive attitude
towards the statement, “Reproductive health education is appropriate for your students”, 24.6%
of teachers had negative attitudes. 54% disagreed on the potential impact on our value system
by teaching sexuality related topics. Interestingly, 25% did not show a positive or negative
attitude regarding the statement. Study findings concluded that 49.7% (majority) of the teachers
believed that the biggest barrier to reproductive health education is culture and 28% of them
thought that parents are the biggest barrier. 16.7% of them thought school policy is responsible
and only 5.6% of them said it is due to lack of training. Study results revealed that the socio
demographic factors such as age, marital status and type of school were significantly associated
with the attitudes related to teaching reproductive health. The association between religion
being a barrier to sex education was not statistically significant (P=0.318, χ2=9.29, df= 8) and
the association between residence and statement “Society does not accept teaching reproductive
health” was not statistically significant (P=0.058, χ2=5.688, df=2). Further, 50.4% of Buddhist
and 43% of Hindu teachers suggested that culture was the major limitation on teaching
reproductive health. Negative attitudes have appeared among teachers on teaching reproductive
health and positive attitudes were not fully expressed. Therefore, attitudes towards teaching
reproductive health have to be improved among school teachers. | en_US |
