Exploring the sexual and reproductive health information needs and barriers of teenage girls at a high school in the Western Cape

Abstract

The sexual reproductive health information needs of teenage girls are unmet in developing countries. This coupled with poor information-seeking behaviour to acquire appropriate SRH information and understanding of how the body works as well as misconceptions about contraceptive use expose teenage girls to unintended pregnancies and school dropout. The study aimed to explore the sexual reproductive health information needs, and barriers of teenage girls at a high school in the Western Cape. A qualitative research method with exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was used for this study. The targeted population was teenage girls aged 16–17, across Grade 11. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants, which were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.