Sex Education and the Challenge of Abortion in Akamkpa LGA of Cross River State
Need help with a related project topic or New topic? Send Us Your Topic
DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL
Sex Education and the Challenge of Abortion in Akamkpa LGA of Cross River State
Abstract
This quantitative survey study looked into the relationship between sex education and the rate of abortion among adolescents in Akamkpa LGA, Nigeria. A systematic questionnaire was created to collect data from a sample of 120 respondents drawn from various demographic backgrounds. The acquired data was analysed with SPSS27, and the hypotheses were tested using a t-test.
The study found substantial links between socio-cultural factors, the effectiveness of sex education, and the prevalence of abortion among adolescents. Socio-cultural factors, in particular, were found to have a considerable impact on the effectiveness of sex education programs, as well as the rate of abortion among adolescents.
Furthermore, focused measures for increasing sex education were found to have a significant favourable effect on lowering abortion rates in the study region. In conclusion, the study emphasised the need of comprehensive sex education in reducing the prevalence of abortion among adolescents.
The findings emphasised the need of overcoming socio-cultural barriers and implementing focused measures to improve sex education programs in Akamkpa LGA and other comparable settings.
Policymakers and stakeholders should prioritise including comprehensive sex education into school curricula and community-based activities to enhance adolescents’ sexual health and well-being.
Furthermore, efforts should be made to involve parents, community leaders, and religious institutions in promoting open talks about sex education and reproductive health.
Overall, the study added to the expanding corpus of research on sex education and adolescent reproductive health in Nigeria. The findings, which provided empirical evidence of the effectiveness of sex education programs in lowering abortion rates, have implications for public health policies and interventions aimed at treating adolescent reproductive health issues.
Moving forward, more study was needed to investigate novel approaches to sex education delivery, analyse the long-term impact of interventions, and determine the role of parental participation in supporting healthy sexual health outcomes among teenagers.
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Sex education is an important part of adolescent development, although its implementation varies greatly among locations. The combination of sex education and abortion poses a unique set of issues in Cross River State, Nigeria’s Akamkpa Local Government Area (LGA).
Understanding these problems necessitates a thorough analysis of the sociocultural, economic, and educational factors that influence both the provision of sex education and the prevalence of abortion.
This study intends to investigate these patterns and provide insight into how excellent sex education can potentially reduce the prevalence of abortion among adolescents in this area.
Background for the Study
Sex education covers a wide range of issues, including human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behaviour, sexual health, and society/culture. Sex education in many regions of Nigeria, including the Akamkpa Local Government Area (LGA), is frequently inadequate due to cultural taboos, a lack of skilled educators, and insufficient resources.
This inadequacy contributes to a lack of information about contraception and safe sexual practices, which leads to unwanted births and, as a result, an increase in abortion rates (Makhaza & Ige, 2022).
Traditional ideas and traditions have a significant impact on the Akamkpa LGA community’s attitudes towards sex education. Many consider it a taboo subject, hampering efforts to implement comprehensive sex education in schools and communities. This cultural resistance exacerbates problems like teen pregnancy and unsafe abortions.
A lack of proper sex education keeps young people unaware of safe sexual practices and the necessity of utilising contraception successfully (Adeniji et al., 2023).
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that there are few educated educators capable of providing comprehensive sex education. Most teachers lack the essential skills to comfortably and accurately explain sexuality-related issues.
This scarcity of trained educators causes children to have a limited awareness of crucial sexual health issues. As a result, young people in Akamkpa frequently rely on misinformation or peer pressure, which might perpetuate risky sexual activity (Kaleyu et al., 2020).
Furthermore, poor resources given to sex education reduce its effectiveness. Schools in Akamkpa LGA frequently lack the tools and resources required to give comprehensive sex education.
Because of the scarcity of resources, even willing educators may lack access to the tools needed to teach students about safe sexual practices, contraception, and healthy relationships (Abiodun et al., 2023).
As a result, young people are uninformed of the entire range of reproductive health options available to them, making them more vulnerable to unwanted pregnancies.
Unwanted pregnancies among teenagers in Akamkpa are especially concerning. Without comprehensive sex education, teenagers are less likely to use contraception efficiently, if at all. This lack of contraception leads to higher rates of adolescent pregnancy, which can have serious social and economic consequences for young moms and families.
Furthermore, teenage pregnancies frequently result in unsafe abortions, as young women may attempt to terminate their pregnancies using unregulated and risky methods (Durowade et al., 2021).
Abortions that are not safe endanger the health of Akamkpa’s young women. Because of the cultural shame associated with abortion, many women use risky procedures to end unwanted pregnancies.
These improper abortions can result in severe complications such as infections, haemorrhage, and even death. The absence of access to safe, legal abortion services exacerbates the situation, making it a major public health concern (Bankole et al., 2021).
The cultural setting of Akamkpa LGA also influences views towards sex education. In many communities, discussing sexual health is considered unacceptable, particularly among young people. This cultural taboo makes it difficult for educators to openly discuss sexuality and reproductive health.
As a result, young people may be humiliated or embarrassed to seek information or assistance with sexual health difficulties, prolonging the cycle of misinformation and harmful behaviour (Oye-Adeniran et al., 2022).
Cultural sensitivities must be considered when improving sex education in Akamkpa LGA. Community leaders, parents, and educators must collaborate to foster an atmosphere in which sex education is viewed as an important and required component of the curriculum.
By integrating community stakeholders and tackling cultural taboos, it may be able to create more successful sex education programs that lower the number of unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions.
Comprehensive sex education should cover contraception, sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), and healthy relationships. Educating young people about the many contraceptive methods available and how to use them effectively can greatly reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. Furthermore, offering knowledge about STIs and how to avoid them can benefit the community’s general sexual health (Assefa, 2017).
Addressing the issues of sex education in Akamkpa necessitates greater access to reproductive health services. Ensuring that young people have access to contraception and other reproductive health services is critical for preventing unwanted pregnancies and decreasing the number of unsafe abortions. Health care facilities should be equipped to provide these treatments in a confidential and youth-friendly setting (Ibrahim et al., 2023).
In addition to school-based sex education programs, community-based efforts can have a substantial impact on sexual health education. Community health workers and peer educators can be excellent providers of knowledge about sexual health and contraception. These efforts can help reach out-of-school kids and those who do not have access to formal education (WHO, 2022).
Need help with a related project topic or New topic? Send Us Your Topic
DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL