Exploring Women’s Attitudes and Knowledge Regarding Sex Education and the Influence of Cultural and Media Factors: A Qualitative Study
摘要
Sex education has an important part to play in enhancing the sexual health and wellbeing of women’s. It is, though, often uneven in quality and accessibility in most culturally and religiously conservative environments and therefore creates misunderstandings and poor knowledge. This qualitative study investigates young women's attitudes and perceptions about sex education, sexual health, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and cultural and media influences. Focus group interviews were carried out with 18–23-year-old women using convenience sampling. Information was gathered with the assistance of semi-structured interview schedules and processed with Braun and Clarke's six-step thematic analysis method. The research found six major themes: (1) Formal Sex Education Gaps, (2) Access Barriers to Sexual Health Information, (3) Media and Cultural Norms Influence, (4) Contraception and Safety Attitudes, (5) Comfort with Sexual Health Discussions, and (6) Preferred Sources and Modes of Education. The results underscore the critical need for well-rounded, culturally appropriate, and accessible sex education programs that meet the needs of young women.