Experience of sexual/reproductive health and dance education in a care and social rehabilitation center

Abstract

Purpose: In the study, a dance training was made in order to encourage personality development and information about Sexual Health/Reproductive Health (SH/RH) was given in order to raise awareness and precision to adolescents.Methods: Adolescent girls aged under 18 years, who were substance addicted, who had been living on streets or had been pushed to streets due to abuse or neglect, who had been excluded by families and who were
decided to be protected or under care lived in a centre. All of the girls were planned to be recruited to the study while education sessions were being designed however difficulty in understanding and severe mental disorders led to less participants (n=10) in dance and SH/RH educations. Results: Mean age of the girls was 15.9±1.8 years while mean age of first sexual relation was 14±1.6 years. It was determined that two of the girls knew condom, one knew
abortion and one knew anal sexual intercourse as contraceptive method before the education. Mean PedsQL postand pre-education scores of adolescents was 68.3 and 74.1, respectively (p>0.05). Conclusion: Dance and SH/RH educations have increased the level of knowledge and quality of life of adolescents.