Understanding of Parents and Adults on the Down syndrome Female Sexual Reproductive Health

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the understanding of reproductive health
among parents and female adolescents with Down syndrome.This cross-sectional
study involved 22 parents and 22 female adolescents with Down syndrome in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. The parents were required to fill up the socio-demographic
information in questionnaire forms.Scores of parents and female adolesecents
according to the socio-demographic data, the relationship between the
understanding of reproductive health among parents and female adolescents with
Down syndrome were determined. The result showing that both parents and
adolescents with Down syndrome scored the lowest on sexuality and sexual
reproductive awareness. There was a significant relationship between the
understanding and awareness of reproductive health among parents and female
adolescents where r = 0.480, and p < 0.05. There was no relationship between
time spent with child and understanding of reproductive health among parents
and female adolescents with Down syndrome. Thus Special Education and
Occupational Therapy programme on sexual and reproductive health should be
part of activity of daily life skills for individual with Down syndrome.