reproductive health services for adolescents - Pathfinder International

Module 16/Unit 8
CONTENT
Knowledge/Attitudes/Skills
Training/Learning Methods
(Time Required)
• Young people may be afraid to seek
treatment for STIs.
• Substance abuse or experimentation
with drugs and alcohol is common
among adolescents and often leads
to irresponsible decisions, including
having unprotected sex.
• Adolescents may feel peer pressure to
have sex before they are emotionally
ready to be sexually active.
• Young people often confuse sex with
love and engage in sex before they
are ready in the name of “love.” A
young person can be pressured into
having sex or can pressure someone
else by claiming that intercourse is a
way to demonstrate love.
• Young people may want sexual
experience or may look for a chance
to experiment sexually, which can
lead to multiple partners, therefore
increasing their chance of contracting
and spreading STIs.
LONG TERM HEALTH
CONSEQUENCES OF STIS/HIV
• Generally, the long-term health
consequences of STIs are more
serious among women.
• Women and girls are less likely to
experience symptoms, so many STIs
go undiagnosed until a serious health
problem develops.
• Adolescents who contract STIs are
also at risk of chronic health
problems, including permanent
infertility, chronic pain from PID, and
cancer of the cervix.
BRAINSTORMING (15 MIN.)
The trainer should:
• Ask Px to brainstorm the long-term
health consequences of STI.
• Ask Px to brainstorm the long-term
social consequences of STIs.
• Fill in any missing information with
content from the left-hand column.
Pathfinder International
106
Adolescent Curriculum