The relationship between parental or caregiver monitoring and risky behaviours that are associated with the prevalence of schistosomiasis amongst adolescent girls living in endemic KwaZulu-Natal.
Loading...
Date
2014
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The high prevalence of schistosomiasis found in adolescents living in KwaZulu-Natal, where
the co-infection of multiple diseases is rife, is concerning. Adolescence is a pivotal stage of
development that is characterised by transformation and transition. During this period,
children are faced with many changes that impact on their health and wellbeing and this
thrusts these adolescents into new roles and experiences that can lead to them engaging in
behaviours that increase their risk of negative health outcomes. However, the social context
within which they exist is considered to be important in this process, especially the parentadolescent
relationship. In particular, parental/caregiver monitoring is considered to serve as
a buffer against risky adolescent behaviour.
This study aimed to understand whether risky behaviours are prevalent amongst adolescents
in KwaZulu-Natal and whether these risky behaviours are associated with schistosomiasis.
This study also sought to establish whether a relationship exists between parental or caregiver
monitoring, the prevalence of schistosomiasis infection amongst adolescents, and risky
behaviours that increase the chances of infection.
The sample consisted of 970 adolescent girls living in the Ugu district, KwaZulu-Natal.
Interviews were administered and urine samples were collected. Crosstabulation analysis and
binary logistic regression were utilised to analyse the data. The results indicate that there are
significant associations between the prevalence of schistosomiasis and risky adolescent
behaviour. Parental/caregiver monitoring was not associated with schistosomiasis infection
and did not reduce the odds of schistosomiasis infection when engaging in risky water contact
behaviour.
Description
M. Soc. Sc. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Peitermaritzburg 2014.
Keywords
Risk-taking (Psychology) in adolescence., Youth--Health aspects., Schistosomiasis., Parent and teenager., Parental influences., Adolescence., Theses--Psychology.