Background: Reproductive health (RH) education in the Philippines has yet to realize the aspirations of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, based on trends reported by the National Demographics and Health Survey (2013 and 2017). Objectives: This paper report on a subset of data collected from 2016 to 2017 for a research that aimed to describe what a set of eight grade students learned about reproductive health through their knowledge and attitudes towards family planning and related topics. Methodology: The findings come from a subset of a 63-items survey administered online, highlighting sexual health knowledge, sexual health practices, sexual health attitudes, and quality of RH education. The study used a four-question quiz adapted from the World Health Organization questionnaire, Illustrative questionnaire for interview-surveys with young people, which eight graders are expected to know. Sexual health practices and attitudes, and quality of reproductive health classes were adapted from the New Brunswick Students' Ideas about Sexual Health Education instrument. Results: The results showed that only nine percent of respondents (both male and female) answered all questions correctly in the WHO four-question quiz. There was marked difference between male and female responses in the sexual health practices and attitudes questions; most respondents who reported sexual activities also reported not using contraception (65.22% for males and 12.5% for females). Ten percent indicated never having RH education classes, with 52% only having had zero to one RH education classes. Conclusion Overall, findings suggest there are several variables that preclude successful RH education. Thus, other sources of education can be explored and integrated into the curriculum, such as the home, the community, media, and even peers.
Adolescent Health

Objective: Despite the provision of local health policies promoting the utilization of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services of adolescents, SRH services utilization remains very low and little information is known concerning the factors which may influence adolescents' use of these SRH services. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of school-based SRH services utilization among secondary school students.

Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that used a self-administered questionnaire to gather data among students in one public secondary school in the City of Dasmariñas. A total of 24 sections from Grades 8 to 12 were randomly selected using stratified cluster sampling. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data using Epi Info version 7.3.2.1.

Results: Among 1,218 students who answered the questionnaire, 168 students (13.8%) utilized the SRH services in the Teen Health Kiosk (THK) during SY 2019-20. Students with favorable attitudes towards SRH issues (predisposing factor) were twice more likely to utilize the SRH services (Adjusted odds ratio, AOR 1.75, 95% CI 1.12-2.74) and those who have positive perceived accessibility on the SRH services (enabling factor) were 2.5 times more likely to utilize the SRH services (AOR 2.46, 95% CI 1.66 - 3.66).

Conclusion: Attitudes towards SRH issues and perceived accessibility to SRH services were found to be determinants of SRH services utilization in the THK of the selected public secondary school in the City of Dasmariñas. Even with the marked increase in the utilization of SRH services in the THK from 0.2% in SY 2018-19 to 13.8% in SY 2019-20, intensified efforts are still needed in order to target students' attitudes on SRH and accessibility of THK and the SRH services it offers to its clients. It is recommended that the existing THK Club be strengthened as this will play a significant role in changing the attitudes of students towards SRH issues, thus increasing the utilization of SRH services. Additionally, formulating an SRH policy at the school level targeting THK's accessibility will be helpful in increasing the utilization of school-based SRH services. For one, a policy mandating THK service providers to deliver services beyond school hours may be discussed such that it can also cater students who are attending the school during weekends (i.e. ALS students, Open High students). Likewise, policy makers in the City Schools Division Office including their top management and personnel from the Health and Nutrition Unit as well as school administrators must endeavor to provide a more conducive THK where privacy and confidentiality can be maintained at all times and clients can freely discuss SRH issues with the THK service provider. An initiative to provide a separately detached room for the THK is encouraged in order to provide a more suitable counselling area and to ensure privacy and confidentiality of student clients and their shared information.

This paper introduced the physiological features of adolescence ages (15-18 ages) including sociopsychological features and influences of physiological - psychological features and social aspects on the health and adolescence health
Mental Health ; Adolescent

Adolescent ; Health Promotion ; Humans

Anemia ; Adolescent ; Public Health

No abstract available.
Adolescent* ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Humans

This is to determine current status and historical trends of the health of Korean adolescents. Adolescence is not only a time of health and well-being, but also a time of experimentation and of being at risk of significant threats by health-damaging behaviors. A comprehensive overview through a review of major national demographic data on health-related issues would give health professionals chances to deal with Korean adolescents' unique needs to improve their health.
Adolescent* ; Demography* ; Health Occupations ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was done to develop a web-based education program on appropriate antibiotic use and test the effects of the program on knowledge and attitudes towards antibiotic use in Korean adolescents. METHODS: The web-based education program was developed through an extensive literature review and professional advisory meetings including technical assistance from a web-based education programmer and content experts. A convenience sample of 851 students from middle and high schools participated in the assessment of effects of the program. Knowledge and attitudes of the students towards antibiotic use and satisfaction with the web-based education program were measured. Descriptive statistics and paired t-test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes towards antibiotic use following self-learning via the web-based education program in both middle and high school students. High school students demonstrated higher scores in knowledge and attitudes than middle school students. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that this web-based education program on appropriate antibiotic use is a convenient and effective medium for self-learning in adolescents. Therefore the web-based program should be put into wide use as an effective and convenient teaching method for health education in secondary schools.
Adolescent ; Health Education ; Humans ; Teaching

Primary Health Care ; Child ; Adolescent

Background: This meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of mhealth for vaccination uptake, coverage, and acceptance among children, adolescents, and adults. Methods: Database search was conducted in PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane Library. Studies were included if the following were met: 1) RCTs or CCTs, and 2) with comparison of mHealth on usual care. Studies were excluded if mHealth was not assessed and the data were insufficient to calculate pooled results. The effectiveness was evaluated using Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval in RevMan 5.3. Results: A total of 17 studies were included in the analysis. The pooled analysis showed that mHealth can improve vaccine uptake (OR 1.83, p=0.0005), coverage (OR 1.49, p=0.03), up-to-date vaccination (OR 2.37, p=0.0007), and completion of full vaccine series (OR 1.81, p=0.0002). Subgroup analyses showed that vaccine uptake is significantly improved when text messaging is used as a reminder system (OR 1.73, p<0.001) and when mHealth is employed for children’s vaccines (OR of 2.77, p=0.007). Majority of the pooled studies showed significant heterogeneity. Statistical synthesis on vaccine acceptance was not feasible, but existing studies report positive effects of mHealth on this outcome. Conclusion mHealth can improve vaccine uptake, coverage, up-to-date vaccination, and completion of the full vaccine series. Additional unpublished and rigorous studies may be considered in a future research to fully assess its effectiveness.
Adolescent Health ; Immunization ; Vaccination ; Telemedicine