Adolescent reproductive health and gender role attitudes in Oman

Authors

• Yasmin A. Jaffer, Department of Family and Community Health, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
• Mustafa M. Afifi, Specialist, Department of Research and Studies, Ministry of Health, PO Box 393, P.C. 113, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. Tel. +968 9035672. Fax. +968 696702. E-mail: afifidr{at}yahoo.co.uk

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the attitudes of Omani adolescents towards the different gender roles and women empowerment with regard to taking household decisions, and to study how they influenced the adolescents9 knowledge and attitudes towards some reproductive health issues in a national representative secondary schools-based sample of 1670 boys and 1675 girls. METHODS: In 2001, through a self administrated questionnaire the adolescents answered 2 indices; adolescents Attitudes Toward Gender Roles (ATGR) and adolescents Attitudes Toward Women Empowerment (ATWE) in addition to answering questions on demographic data, environmental factors, and questions assessing their knowledge and attitudes towards reproductive health issues. RESULTS: High scores of ATGR or ATWE were found to significantly predict sound adolescents9 reproductive health knowledge or positive attitudes in almost all the logistic regression models. CONCLUSION: The study highlighted the scope of interventions to be initiated for adolescents reproductive health. Changes in attitudes towards gender role have to accompany our endeavors to set up the stage for our future generation9s reproductive health.

Article Type

Research Article

First Page

234

Last Page

240

Recommended Citation

Jaffer, Yasmin A. and Afifi, Mustafa M. (2005) "Adolescent reproductive health and gender role attitudes in Oman," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 26: Iss. 2, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/1658-3175.2825