AN ENQUIRY INTO THE ADOLESCENTS’ WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THEIR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND ITS EFFECTS ON ISSUES RELATED TO THEIR ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENTS- A CASE OF KOLKATA
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Reproductive health is of prime importance to the adolescents. As they encounter certain bodily changes triggered by play of maturity hormones things like mood swings, stress and anxiety become part of their lives. Their minds remain occupied with societal gaze at their changes which lead them be mentally bothered, over concerned and sometimes feeling ashamed of their own self. Adolescent students suffer from lack of concentration. With each casual passing remark by anyone or everyone they lose confidence. Not all but many miss their school, fail to prepare good and perform badly in examinations and stay away from physical activities. Mental dilemma is even worse than physical stress which often escalates by inability to clarify doubts about reproductive health from the trusted ones in their close relationship circle. Schools also do not offer much to feed their inquisitive minds. Teachers are mostly underprepared, lack scientific knowledge to groom adolescents to be future ready. Movies addressing such issues are rare and social media do not act responsibly. Consequently with misunderstandings galore they step into future with sheer negligence. The present study is based on outcome of a descriptive survey, where with the help of 2 standardized questionnaires data have been collected from adolescents of 11th standard from a West Bengal Government run co-educational higher secondary School. The results throw light on adolescents’ source of knowledge and overall understanding of their reproductive health and its effect on their thought process regarding participation in different curricular and extracurricular activities and interaction with the society at large. Assessment of present status of knowledge is the key to design future course of action at national level in alignment with the preaching of international platforms to empower adolescents in better management of their reproductive health.
