Enhancing dialogue between parents and children to improve healthy behaviours for HIV prevention and Sexual Reproductive Health

Summary:

Child is any human being below the age of 18 years (UN_CRC). 44% of Nigerias population are under 15years (NDP 2018). 0.2% of children aged 0 -14years old and 29% aged 15-29 years old are living with HIV (NAISS 2018). Knowledge of HIV transmission (27%) and prevention (57%) is low. 54% of girls and 19% of boys have had sex by age 18 (NDHS 2013). Strategic in the National HIV Strategy for Adolescents and Young People (AYP) 2016-2020 is development and dissemination of communication tools to facilitate discussions between parents and children. The parent child communication (PCC) toolkit is to equip parents with knowledge and communication skills to appropriately dialogue with children and improve their access to appropriate SRH services in Nigeria. For an evidence-informed practical resource to support childs learning, data was extracted from national surveys. Desk review of existing PCC related materials was steered alongside online discussions with 100 parents and 50 children to identify contextual issues/ gaps and guide the development of a national PCC-toolkit. A national-consensus was reached that the PCC-toolkit be used to improve dialogue between parent and children for better-quality healthy behaviours as well as in discussing with children for their improved access to appropriate and factual HIV prevention and SRH services in Nigeria. The country as a matter of urgency needs to roll-out PCC capacity building and implementation plans as well as develop PCC-indicators for the national HIV prevention response.

Background/Objectives

A child is anyone aged below 18 years (UN-CRC). 44% of Nigerias population are under 15years (NDP 2018). 0.2% of children aged -14years old and 29% aged 15-29years old are living with HIV (NAISS 2018). Knowledge of HIV transmission (27%) and prevention (57%) is low. 54% of girls and 19% of boys have had sex by age 18 (NDHS 2013); while 17% of young people know their HIV status. Strategic in the National HIV Strategy for Adolescents and Young People (AYP) 2016-2020 is development and dissemination of communication tools to facilitate discussions between parents and children.

Description Of Intervention And/or Methods/Design

The aim of this parent child communication (PCC) toolkit is to equip parents with knowledge and communication skills to appropriately dialogue with children and improve their access to appropriate SRH services in Nigeria. For an evidence-informed practical resource to support partnership in all forms childs learning, data was extracted from 2014 Integration Behavioral and Biological Sentinel Survey (IBBSS). Desk review of existing PCC related materials and online discussions with 100 parents and 50 children was conducted to identify contextual issues/ gaps and guide a national PCC-toolkit development. 92 participants representing states, parents, children, civil society, PLHIV, implementers and advocates, United Nations, child focused federal ministries and national SBCCTWG met and articulated issues identified into a PCC-toolkit. It was field tested in the UNESCOs O3 project states. A consensus was reached to nationally use the toolkit to improve dialogue between parent and children to better-quality healthy behaviours.

Results/Lessons Learned

There is dearth of data on PCC for HIV and SRH from national surveys. The review of existing parenting documents and discussions with 100parents and 50children revealed a number of heartrending barriers to open parent-child-dialogue concerning HIV and SRH, e.g religious/social values, lack of unpretentious sexuality evidence/ communication knowledge/skills, and assumptions that mothers are responsible for parent-child communication on health/sexuality issues. It was evident that good parent-child communication promotes healthy behaviors, A national consensus was reached by stakeholders in child development, health communication, HIV and SRH on the toolkits content to close the gaps in parent-child dialogue. 2000 copies of the toolkit were printed, while capacity of 1000 persons (parents and implementers) built on use of the toolkit at the dissemination. Communication on HIV prevention and SRH issues is now nationally entrenched in parenting for factual information and cognizant resolutions among children.

Discussion/Implications For The Field

Parenting should reflect the intricacies of raising a child and not exclusively for a biological relationship The parent child communication (PCC) toolkit should be maximally utilized by parents in applicably discussing with children and improving their access to appropriate and factual HIV prevention and SRH services in Nigeria. The national response should build capacity of implementers and parents on the use of the toolkit across the country. One of the consensus reached was to roll-out national implementation plans PCC interventions and develop PCC-indicators for the national HIV prevention response to close the gaps in parent-child dialogue.

Abstract submitted by: 

Kingsley Essomeonu - National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA

Funke Oki - NACA

Ngozi Amanze - UNESCO

Rosemelda Essomeonu