Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Dynamics of Parent–Adolescent Communication on Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS in Tanzania

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Communication between parents and their adolescent children has been identified as one of the potential protective factors for adolescent sexual health. Qualitative exploration of sexual health communication with adolescents aged 12–15 (N = 114) and a sub-group of the parents (N = 20) was carried out. Four major themes emerged: reasons for parent–adolescent communications, or lack thereof; the focus of parental messages; the moral of the message; and the barriers to communication between parents and adolescents. Findings revealed similarities and discrepancies in views and perceptions between parents and adolescents. Adolescents and parents suggested that some sexual health communication was happening. Parents were reportedly likely to use fear to ensure that their children do not engage in risky sexual activities, while adolescents reported that conversations with their parents were mostly ambiguous and filled with warnings about the dangers of HIV/AIDS. Several communication barriers were reported by parents and adolescents. Parents of adolescents would benefit from HIV/AIDS specific communication skills.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. UNAIDS. The global aids epidemic. Geneva: World Health Organization and UNAIDS. Report 2008.

  2. Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Macro International Inc. Tanzania HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey 2003–04; 2005.

  3. Kazaura M, Masatu M. Sexual practices among unmarried adolescents in Tanzania. BMC Pub Health. 2009;9:373. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-9-373.

  4. DiIorio C, Pluhar E, Belcher L. Parent-child communication about sexuality: a review. J HIV/AIDS Prev Educ Adolesc Child. 2003;5(3/4):7–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Miller K, Forehand R, Kotchik BA. Adolescent sexual behavior in two ethnic minority samples: the role of family variables. J Marriage Fam. 1999;61(1):85–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Fuglesang M. Lessons for life—past and present modes of sexuality education in Tanzanian society. Soc Sci Med. 1997;44(8):1245–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Balmer DH, Gikundi E, Billengsley MC, Kihuho FG, Kimani M, Wang’ondu J. Adolescent knowledge, values, and coping strategies: implications for health in sub-Saharan Africa. J Adolesc Health. 1997;21:33–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Muyinda H, Nakuya J, Pool R, Whitworth J. Harnessing the senga institution of adolescent sex education for the control of HIV and STDs in rural Uganda. AIDS Care. 2003;15:159–67.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Namisi FS. Communicating on sexuality within Kenyan family setting in the context of HIV/AIDS: perceptions of parents and 14–17 year old adolescents [MPhil Dissertation]. University of Bergen, Norway; 2005.

  10. Luwaga LC. Parent–adolescent communication on sexuality in the context of HIV/AIDS in Uganda: an exploratory study [MPhil Dissertation]. University of Bergen, Norway; 2004.

  11. Botchway A. Parent and adolescent males’ communication about sexuality in the context of HIV/AIDS: a study in the eastern region of Ghana [MPhil Dissertation]. University of Bergen, Norway; 2004.

  12. Kajula L. Cross-generation communication on sexuality in times of HIV/AIDS as perceived by adolescent girls and their parents in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania [MPhil Dissertation]. University of Bergen, Norway; 2005.

  13. Markham C, Lormand D, Gloppen K, Peskin M, Flores B, Low B, House LD. Connectedness as a predictor of sexual and reproductive health outcomes for youth: a review. J Adolesc Health. 2010;46:S23–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Wight D, Williamson L, Henderson M. Parental influences on young people’s sexual behavior: a longitudinal analysis. J Adolesc Health. 2006;29:473–94.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kawai K, Kaaya SF, Kajula L, Mbwambo J, Kilonzo GP, Fawzi WW. Parents’ and teachers’ communication about HIV and sex in relation to the timing of sexual initiation among young adolescents in Tanzania. Scand J Public Health. 2008;36(8):879–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Burleson BR, Albrecht TL, Goldsmith DJ, Sarason IG. Communication of social support: messages, interactions, relationships, and community. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Shoop DM, Davidson PM. AIDS and adolescents: the relation of parent and partner communication to adolescent condom use. J Adolesc Health. 1994;17:137–48.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Denzin NK, Lincoln YS. Handbook of qualitative research. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Mathews C, Guttmacher SJ, Flisher AJ, Mtshizana Y, Zwarenstein M. Written parental consent in school-based HIV/AIDS prevention research. Am J Public Health. 2005;95(7):1266–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Zuch M, Mason-Jones AJ, Mathews C, Henley L. Changes to the law on consent in South Africa: implications for school-based adolescent sexual and reproductive health research. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2012;12:3.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Esbensen FA, Miller MH, Taylor T, He N, Freng A. Differential attrition rates and active parental consent. Eval Rev. 1999;23:316–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Schenk K, Williamson J. Ethical approaches to gathering information from children and adolescents in international settings: guidelines and resources. Washington: Population Council; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Masatu MC, Kvale G, Klepp KI. Frequency and perceived credibility of reported sources of reproductive health information among primary school adolescents in Arusha, Tanzania. Scand J Public Health. 2003;31(3):216–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kinsman J, Nakiyingi J, Kamali A, Carpenter L, Quigley M, Pool R, Whitworth J. Evaluation of a comprehensive school-based AIDS education programme in rural Masaka, Uganda. Health Educ Res. 2001;16:85–100.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Biddlecom A, Awusabo-Asare K, Bankole A. Role of parents in adolescent sexual activity and contraceptive use in four African countries. Int Fam Plan Perspect. 2009;35(2):72–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Wamoyi J, Fenwick A, Urassa M, Zaba B, Stones W. Parent–child communication about sexual and reproductive health in rural Tanzania: implications for young people’s sexual health interventions. Reprod Health. 2010;7:6.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Adu-Mireku S. Family communication about HIV/AIDS and sexual behavior among senior secondary school students in Accra, Ghana. Afr Health Sci. 2003;3(1):7–14.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Mmbaga EJ, Leonard F, Leyna GH. Incidence and predictors of adolescent’s early sexual debut after three decades of HIV interventions in Tanzania: a time to debut analysis. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e41700. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0041700.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Das EHHJ. How fear appeals work. Motivational biases in the processing of fear—arousing health communications. Utrecht: University of Utrecht; 2001.

  30. Hoog N. Fear-arousing communications and persuasion. The impact of vulnerability on processing and accepting fear appeals. Utrecht: Proefschrift Universiteit Utrecht; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Reiter R. Scary warnings and rational precautions. A study into fear arousal and its contribution to precautionary motivation. Maastricht: Unigraphic; 2000.

  32. Witte K, Allen M. A meta-analysis of fear appeals: implications for effective public health campaigns. Health Educ Behav. 2000;27(5):608–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Ford N, Odallo R, Chorlton R. Communication from a human rights perspective: responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in eastern and southern Africa. J Health Commun. 2003;8:599–612.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Dilger H. Sexuality, AIDS and the lures of modernity: reflexivity and morality among young people in rural Tanzania. Med Anthropol. 2003;22:23–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Ahlberg BM. Is there a distinct African sexuality? A critical response to Caldwell. Africa. 1994;64(2):220–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Silverman D, Perakyla A, Bor R. Discussing safer sex in HIV counselling: assessing three communication formats. AIDS Care. 1992;4:69–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Lesch E, Kruger L. Mothers, daughters and sexual agency in one low-income South African community. Soc Sci Med. 2005;61(5):1072–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Jaccard J, Dittus PJ, Litardo HA. Parent–adolescent communication about sex and birth control: implications for parent-based interventions to reduce unintended adolescent pregnancy. In: Miller W, Severy LJ, editors. Advances in population: psychosocial perspectives. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 1999. p. 220–46.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Baumrind D. Some thoughts on childrearing. In: Bronfenbrenner U, editor. Readings in the development of human behavior. New York: Dryden Press; 1972. p. 270–81.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Miller K, Vandenhoudt H. Youth Prevention activities in Western Kenya: the Families Matter programme. Paper presented at: the Interagency Youth Working Group meeting. 2007; Washington, DC.

  41. Vavrus F. Girls’ schooling in Tanzania: the key to HIV/AIDS prevention? AIDS Care. 2006;18(8):863–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Romo LF, Nadeem E, Kouyoumdjian C. Latino parent–adolescent communication about sexuality: an interdisciplinary literature review. In: Ascencio M, editor. Latino/a sexualities. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press; 2010. p. 62–74.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study and authors received support through the University of Bergen, Norway from the European Union (7th Framework Program, HEALTH 2009, Contract Number 241945) and the FIC AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP), D43TW000003 (Nicolas Sheon and Lusajo Kajula). We also wish to acknowledge the support from the University of California, San Francisco, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), P30 MH062246 and the International Traineeships in AIDS Prevention Studies (ITAPS), U.S. NIMH, R25MH064712. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the EU, NIMH or FIC.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Medicine, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Off United Nations Road, P. O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    Lusajo J. Kajula & Sylvia F. Kaaya

  2. Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Nicolas Sheon

  3. Department of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Hein De Vries

  4. Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway

    Leif E. Aarø

  5. Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

    Leif E. Aarø

Authors
  1. Lusajo J. Kajula
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nicolas Sheon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hein De Vries
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sylvia F. Kaaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Leif E. Aarø
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lusajo J. Kajula.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kajula, L.J., Sheon, N., De Vries, H. et al. Dynamics of Parent–Adolescent Communication on Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. AIDS Behav 18 (Suppl 1), 69–74 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-013-0634-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-013-0634-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation