The provision of sexual and reproductive health education to children in a remote mountainous commune in rural Vietnam: an exploratory study of parents' views

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the expectations of parents in a remote mountainous commune in Vietnam about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education for their children. Separate in-depth interviews were conducted with 34 parents of eight-year-old children and key informants including a principal, a teacher and staff of the Youth Union. All parents perceived a need for their children to be educated about SRH. Fathers and mothers had different expectations of what girls and boys should learn. Most parents wanted their children to be informed about biological differences, puberty and menstruation before or by the time pubertal changes began (before Grade Five or Six). Most also wanted their children to learn in detail about contraception, HIV/AIDS/STD prevention and intimate relationships but not until they were aged at least 15 (Grade Eight). Parents also wanted access to information about adolescent SRH so as to be able to understand adolescents' experiences and express their values without being judgmental. None of the parent informants perceived themselves as able to educate their children about any of these matters and expected the school and the Youth Union to be primary educators. However, apart from single lessons in Grade Five and Grade Nine, neither of these agencies provides SRH education. The head of the Youth Union and lecturers at secondary school stated that they were not capable of providing SRH training as none of their staff were specifically trained in SRH and they had no access to appropriate SRH educational materials. Meanwhile, there was no public library or bookstore in the commune where young people could have access to SRH reading material. There is a major gap between the SRH education needs of parents and children in remote rural areas of Vietnam and the resources required to address these needs. The findings of this research should inform government policy-makers and national and international organizations about the needs for SRH education in remote communities in Vietnam and parents' preferences about how this can be provided.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Ford Foundation and the Population Council who supported Tran Thi Thu Ha with a postgraduate scholarship to undertake this research as part of a Master of Public Health at the Key Centre for Women's Health in Society in the Melbourne School of Population Health at the University of Melbourne. They are also grateful for the field support provided by the Research and Training Centre for Community Development in Hanoi and the field supervision of its Director Dr Tran Tuan and for the generous contribution of the participants.

Notes

^1. The YU is a community-based organization that has been established for more than 40 years in Vietnam. The organization aims to pool young people aged younger than 40 for a common goal of country freedom (in the past, before 1975) and now poverty alleviation, non-academic educational development and healthy recreation.

^2. The Vietnam WU is a community-based mass organization that was established in 1930. The history of the WU is closely attached to the country's history for national independence and development. The WU has a network that operates throughout Vietnam at four administrative levels – central, provincial, district and commune – with a total membership of above 13 million women. The WU mandates to protect women's legitimate rights and strive for gender equality. In the past 20 years, the WU has been involved in provision of credit and savings, community education, and the organization of social events for children and women.