Effects of a safe sex program for increasing health literacy intention and practice to prevent pregnancy among undergraduates in Thailand

Main Article Content

Saowanee Thongnopakun
Tepanata Pumpaibool
Sawitree Visanuyothin
Yuvadee Rodjarkpai
Mereerat Manwong

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study aimed to determine the effects of a safe sex program for increasing health literacy, intention and practice to prevent pregnancy among undergraduates in Thailand from September 2017 to January 2018. Multistage sampling was employed resulting in 73 undergraduates (36 in the experiment and 37 in the control). Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire. The experiment included a 20-week safe sex program. Statistics used to analyze data were descriptive statistics and analytical statistics; chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, paired samples t-test, independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and generalized estimating equations. The mean difference for health literacy scores and the practice scores obtained for the experiment were significantly higher than that of the control (p-value = 0.002, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.43–15.47 and p-value = 0.004, 95% CI: 0.27– 1.45). However, the mean difference of scores of intentions regarding condom and Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) were not statistically significant  between experiment and control. This study indicated that the intervention increased health literacy and practice among undergraduates. These findings may present a novel practical program to prevent teenage pregnancy in this population.

Article Details

How to Cite
1.
Thongnopakun S, Pumpaibool T, Visanuyothin S, Rodjarkpai Y, Manwong M. Effects of a safe sex program for increasing health literacy intention and practice to prevent pregnancy among undergraduates in Thailand. J Public Hlth Dev [Internet]. 2021 Jan. 13 [cited 2024 Oct. 7];19(1):141-5. Available from: https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/AIHD-MU/article/view/245682
Section
Original Articles
Author Biographies

Saowanee Thongnopakun, Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University, Chon Buri, Thailand,

Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University, Chon Buri, Thailand,

Tepanata Pumpaibool, College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Sawitree Visanuyothin, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

Yuvadee Rodjarkpai, Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University, Chon Buri, Thailand

Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University, Chon Buri, Thailand

Mereerat Manwong, College of Medicine and Public Health, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

College of Medicine and Public Health, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

References

Sixty-fourth World Health Assembly. Resolution WHA 64.28: Youth and health risks Geneva: World Health Organization; 2011 [Available from: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA64/A64_R28-en.pdf.

Huberman B. Growth and development, ages 13 to 17 what parents need to know 2015 [cited 2016 26 April]. Available from: http://www.advocatesforyouth. org/publications/156-parents.

Stanger-Hall KF, Hall DW. Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S. PLoS ONE. 2011;6(10):e24658.

World Health Organization. Adolescent pregnancy. 2015 [cited 2016 6 April ]. Available from: http://www.who.int/ maternal_child_adolescent/topics/maternal/adolescent_pregnancy/en/

Richter MS, Mlambo G. Perceptions of rural teenagers on teenage pregnancy. Health SA Gesondheid. 2005;10(2):61-9.

Ziyane I, Ehlers V. Swazi youths' attitudes and perceptions concerning adolescent pregnancies and contraception. Health SA Gesondheid. 2006;11(1):31-42.

Yen S, Parmar DD, Lin EL, Ammerman S. Emergency contraception pill awareness and knowledge in uninsured adolescents: high rates of miscon-ceptions concerning indications for use, side effects, and access. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2015; 28(5):337-42.

Bureau of Reproductive Health Ministry of Public Health. Situation of reproductive health in adolescent and youth 2016 2016 [cited 2017 Jan 12,]. Available from: http://rh.anamai.moph. go.th/ewt_news.php?nid=23&filename=index.

Tantivess S, Pilasant S, Yamabhai I, et al. Situation Analysis of Adolescent Pregnancy in Thailand 2013. Nonthaburi: Ministry of Public Health; 2013.

UNICEF. Situation analysis of adolescent pregnancy in Thailand: Synthesis report 2015 2015 [cited 2017 Jan 17, ]. Available from: https://www. unicef.org/thailand/160614_SAAP_in_Thailand_report_EN.pdf.

Bureau of Reproductive Health. Teenage and reproductive health Nonthaburi: Department of Health Ministry of Public Health; 2015 [cited 2020 10 December]. Available from: http://rh.anamai.moph.go.th/ewt_news.php?nid=23&filename=index.

Padpai S. Experience in emergency contraceptive pill among young women: feminist theor. Bangkok: Mahidol University; 2010.

Nutbeam D. Health literacy as a public health goal: a challenge for contemporary health education and communication strategies into the 21st century. Health Promot Int. 2000;15(3): 259-67.

Smith B, Kwok C, Nutbeam D. WHO Health Promotion Glossary: new terms Health Promotion International, 21 (4): 340-345. Retrieved January. 2011.

DeWalt DA, Berkman ND, Sheridan S, Lohr KN, Pignone MP. Literacy and health outcomes. J Gen Intern Med. 2004;19(12):1228-39.

Nutbeam D. The evolving concept of health literacy. Social science & medicine. 2008;67(12):2072-8.

Kay NS, Jones MR, Jantaraweragul S. Teaching sex education in Thailand. ICHPER-SD J Res Health Phys Educ. 2010;5(2):10.

Lemeshow S, Stroh G. Sampling techniques for evaluating health parameters in developing countries: National Academies; 1988.

Krinara P., Ketvatimart M., Maneechot M. The effects of nursing student-lead unplanned pregnancy prevention program on knowledge, attitude and intention to prevent unplanned pregnancy among early adolescents JBCNM 2013;19(2):20-9.

H.S. Kang, L. Moneyham. Use of emergency contraceptive pills and condoms by college students: A survey. Int J Nurs Stud. 2008;45(5):775-83.

Than Htike OO. Intention to use condom among universities students in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand. Bangkok: Mahidol University; 2011.

Cleland J, Ingham R, Nicole S. Asking young people about sexual and reproductive behaviours: Illustrative questionnaire for interview surveys with young people Geneva: World Health Organization; 2001 [cited 2016 25 December ]. Available from: http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/adolescence/questionnaire/en/.

H.S. Kang, L. Moneyham. Use of emergency contraceptive pills and condoms by college students: A survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2008;45(5):775-83.

Brafford LJ, Beck KH. Development and validation of a condom self-efficacy scale for college students. J Am Coll Health. 1991;39(5):219-25.

Kang HS, Moneyham L. Use of emergency contraceptive pills and condoms by college students: A survey. Int J Nurs Stud. 2008;45(5):775-83.

Than HO. Intention to Use Condom Among University Students in Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand: Mahidol University; 2011.

Ministry of Public Health. Health Literacy Scale for Unwanted Pregnancy Prevention of Thai Female Adolescents. Nonthaburi2014.

Sieving RE, Bearinger LH, Resnick MD, Pettingell S, Skay C. Adolescent dual method use: relevant attitudes, normative beliefs and self-efficacy. J Adolesc Health. 2007;40(3):275 e15-e22.

Kuder GF, Richardson MW. The theory of the estimation of test reliability. Psychometrika. 1937;2(3):151-60.

DeVellis RF. Scale development: Theory and applications. Chapel Hill, USA: Sage publications; 2016.

Health education division. The development of health literacy assessment tools for obesity among the secondary school students: grade 9 (phaseI). Bangkok: Department of health services support, Ministry of public health; 2011.

Bandura A. Principles of behavior modification. 1969.

Sawyer SM, Afifi RA, Bearinger LH, Blakemore S-J, Dick B, Ezeh AC, et al. Adolescence: a foundation for future health. Lancet. 2012;379(9826):1630-40.

Klein H. Adolescence, youth, and young adulthood: Rethinking current conceptualizations of life stage. Youth Soc. 1990;21(4):446-71.

Steinberg L. Cognitive and affective development in adolescence. Trends in cognitive sciences. 2005;9(2):69-74.

Fishbein M, Hennessy M, Yzer M, Douglas J. Can we explain why some people do and some people do not act on their intentions? Psychol Health Med. 2003;8(1):3-18.

Vuttanont U, Greenhalgh T, Griffin M, Boynton P. “Smart boys” and “sweet girls”—sex education needs in Thai teenagers: a mixed-method study. Lancet. 2006;368(9552):2068-80.

Jennings J, Howard S, Perotte C. Effects of a school-based sexuality education program on peer educators: the Teen PEP model. Health Educ Res. 2014;29(2):319-29.

Denison J, Tsui S, Bratt J, Torpey K, Weaver M, Kabaso M. Do peer educators make a difference? An evaluation of a youth-led HIV prevention model in Zambian Schools. Health Educ Res. 2011;27(2):237-47.

Parwej S, Kumar R, Walia I, Aggarwal AK. Reproductive health education intervention trial. Indian J Pediatr. 2005;72(4):287-91.

Chandra-Mouli V, Lane C, Wong S. What does not work in adolescent sexual and reproductive health: a review of evidence on interventions commonly accepted as best practices. Glob health, Sci Pract. 2015;3(3):333-40.