Knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters Among Girls in India: Does Parent–Adolescent Communication Play a Role?

Adequate knowledge of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is critical in making informed decisions on safe sexual practices. However, knowledge of SRH among girls is limited in India, leading to adverse SRH outcomes. Parent–adolescent communication may play a crucial role in gaining accurate knowledge of SRH matters among girls. In this chapter, we use data from the UDAYA survey to examine the level of sufficient/adequate knowledge of SRH matters and its sociodemographic correlates among adolescents and young girls in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We further assess the relationship between parent–adolescent communication and girls’ knowledge of SRH matters. Overall, adequate knowledge of SRH among adolescents and young girls is critically low in the study setting. Over two-thirds of girls (69%) discuss the physical changes of puberty/menstruation, and only 3% of girls discuss pregnancy-related issues with their parents, where most of these discussions occur with mothers only. Our findings indicate that parent–adolescent communication is positively associated with knowledge of SRH matters. This study underscores the importance of parent–adolescent communication in girls’ gaining accurate information on SRH. The findings suggest that well-designed, culturally appropriate interventions tailored to specific contexts should be aimed at developing equitable attitudes towards gender-differential parental control or monitoring adolescents and suggest raising awareness and encouraging parents to enhance their positive involvement in advocating for the SRH issues of their children.