Predictors and Influence of Parent-Adolescent Communication on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Urban and Rural Secondary Schools of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Adolescents in Nigeria face high sexual and reproductive health risks, with early sexual debut, unintended pregnancy, and STIs prevalent. Parent–adolescent communication is very important to adolescents because it has the potential of mitigating sexual and reproductive health risks. However, SRH outcomes and behaviour are continually influenced by variation in cultural norms, parental openness, and access to information, particularly between urban and rural settings. Objectives: Predictors and influence of parent-adolescent communication on adolescent sexual and reproductive health in urban and rural secondary schools of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Materials and Methods: The study area was the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. A cross-sectional research design was used. The population comprised adolescents (male and female) between the ages of 15 to 19 years, attending secondary schools in urban and rural communities. The sample size of 248 adolescents was drawn using a multi-stage sampling technique from 54 secondary schools in the study area. A questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Frequency and percentages were used to analyse the data. Results: Openness to sexual health conversations, educational level, access to sexual health information, religion, family values, education, and fear of punishment were the predictors of parent-adolescent communication among adolescents in urban and rural secondary schools in Bayelsa State. Also, parent-adolescent communication positively influenced urban and rural adolescents communication with parents which informed their choices about sex, delayed their sexual debut, confidence to say “No” to sex, avoidance of risky behavior, the formation of healthy relationships, and their reproductive health decision. Conclusion: Parent-adolescent communication was positively associated with adolescents SRH outcomes in both urban and rural areas, however, those in urban areas benefited more due to higher parental openness, greater school-based sex education, and wider SRH information access. Rural adolescents faced stronger cultural and religious constraints, relying more on family values and religion, with greater barriers like shame and ignorance, limiting the protective impact of communication.