Ever-Married Adolescents' Knowledge and Attitude on Reproductive Health and Gender Issues in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Mohammed Mosleh-Uddin, United Nations

A study was conducted in five provinces of Iran to assess the knowledge and attitude on reproductive health and gender related issues of the ever-married adolescents (10-19 years). The paper is based on a sub-sample of 553 ever-married adolescents selected from a large sample of 8,439 ever-married women in the reproductive ages of 10-49 years. The major findings revealed that 53% of the adolescents have ever heard of AIDS. Television emerges as the single most important source of information on AIDS, mentioned by 72% of the respondents. An absolute majority of respondents (86%) who said that they had heard of AIDS and reported to be aware of methods of prevention of AIDS could also identify specific methods to avoid AIDS. Among the specific ways to avoid AIDS, "safe sex" was most frequently mentioned (38%), followed by "avoiding sex" (13%), avoiding blood transfusion (9%), avoiding induced bleeding (8%), and avoiding using reusable needles (7%). About 9 in 10 adolescents (87%) who had mentioned "safe sex" as a method of avoiding AIDS, could also correctly interpret the meaning of "safe sex". Three-fifth of respondents could not cite at least one adolescent reproductive health issue (ARH). Among the ARH issues cited, the most frequently mentioned issue was selection of marriage partner (29%), followed by physical/psychological health during puberty (24%), use of family planning (20%), prevention of HIV/AIDS (19%) and need for training of teachers and parents on ARH issues (5%). 63% of the respondents cited at least one reason in support of family planning. Among the reasons cited, population control tops the list, followed by reduction of infant and maternal mortality and prevention of early pregnancies. About 32% of the respondents cited population control, while about 13% cited reduction of infant and maternal mortality and prevention of early pregnancies as the reasons in support of family planning. About three-fifth (58%) of the respondents were not aware of methods to determine the most fertile days in a month. Three-fourth of the respondents who said that they were aware of methods of determination of fertile days in a month could also identify specific methods of determination of fertile days. The majority of adolescents endorsed the idea of equal rights of men and women in education, employment, selection of marriage partners. However, nearly three-fifth of the respondents (58%) did not endorse the idea of gender equality in government, and about 48% of the adolescents were opposed to the idea of equal rights of men and women in politics. About 58% of adolescents fully endorsed the idea of men and women equally sharing the responsibilities of raising children. Only 29% of adolescents fully endorsed the idea of men and women equally sharing the responsibilities of performing household chores. An overwhelming majority of adolescents, irrespective their age, sex and education held the view that both men and women are responsible to use a method to avoid pregnancy. 53% of the respondents endorsed the idea of an earning woman having exclusive right over the income she earns. However, 37% of adolescents held the view that the use of income earned by a woman should be decided jointly by the earning woman, her father and husband.