reproductive health services for adolescents - Pathfinder International

Module 16/Unit 7
CONTENT
Knowledge/Attitudes/Skills
who have religious or cultural beliefs
pertaining to contraception that they
allow to impact their professional
conduct.
The underlying causes of rumors have
to do with people's knowledge and
understanding of their bodies, health,
medicine, and the world around them.
Often, rumors and misconceptions
about contraception make rational
sense to clients and potential clients,
especially to ill-informed young people.
People usually believe a given rumor or
piece of misinformation due to
immediate causes (e.g., confusion
about anatomy/physiology).
Methods for Counteracting Rumors and
Misconception
• When a client mentions a rumor,
always listen politely. Don't laugh.
• Define what a rumor or
misconception is.
• Find out where the rumor came
from and talk with the people who
started it or repeated it. Check
whether there is some basis for the
rumor.
• Explain the facts using accurate
information, but keep the
explanation simple enough for
young people to understand.
• Use strong scientific facts about
contraceptive methods to counteract
misinformation.
Training/Learning Methods
(Time Required)
• Distribute Px Handout 7.3:
Immediate and Underlying Causes
of Rumors to illustrate your point.
7.3
GROUP EXERCISE (30 MIN.)
The trainer should:
• Divide the Px into groups.
• Give each group one contraceptive
method—COCs, IUD, Condoms,
and DMPA.
• Ask the groups to identify common
rumors and misconceptions about
the method and possible ways of
combating these.
• Have one of the groups present a
rumor.
• Ask Px to identify what the
immediate reason could be for its
popularity, some of the underlying
reasons for the rumor, and how to
counteract them.
• Distribute Px Handouts 7.4A-D:
Rumors and Misinformation
7.4A-D
• Always tell the truth. Never try to
hide side effects or problems that
might occur with various methods.
Pathfinder International
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Adolescent Curriculum