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Primary Submission Category: Social/relational factors
The Effects of a Sexual and Reproductive Health Intervention on Adolescent-Parent Communication in Western Kenya
Authors: William Story, Nema C.M. Aluku, Abigail A. Lee, Sylvia Ayieko,
Presenting Author: William T. Story*
Background: Youth in western Kenya face high rates of unintended pregnancy and HIV, yet adolescent-parent communication about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) remains difficult for many families. This study assesses changes in SRH communication across multiple topics following implementation of Stepping Up!, an evidence‑based intervention designed to strengthen parents’ and adolescents’ SRH knowledge and communication skills.
Methods: The Stepping Up! intervention was implemented from November 2022 to March 2023 in 20 villages in western Kenya, with 10 randomized to the intervention group and 10 to the comparison group. A total of 1,598 youth and 790 parents completed baseline surveys, and 1,425 youth and 711 parents completed follow‑up surveys one month post‑intervention. Surveys assessed adolescent-parent communication across 14 SRH topics. Intervention effects were estimated by comparing changes over time between intervention and comparison groups, including stratification by sex.
Results: Youth and parents in the intervention group showed significantly greater gains in SRH communication than those in the comparison group, with youth mean scores increasing by 8.28 versus 1.60 (p<0.01), respectively, and parents increasing by 9.01 versus 0.06 (p<0.01), respectively. The intervention most improved communication on family planning, sexual debut, and condom use, while discussions about peer pressure and HIV/STIs showed minimal change. Effects were generally stronger among males, with male youth and male parents showing greater statistically significant improvements across several SRH topics compared with females.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that a structured intervention can meaningfully strengthen adolescent-parent communication across multiple SRH topics, aligning with prior evidence showing that adolescents view parents as trusted SRH information sources. Future research should employ cohort designs to evaluate how improved communication influences SRH behaviors.