Young Maori attending alternative education : a profile of sexual health behaviours and associated protective factors

Abstract

Title: Young Maori attending alternative education: A profile of sexual health behaviours and associated protective factors. Background: Various international researchers have identified young people excluded from mainstream education as a paliicularly vulnerable group in regard to sexual and other health behaviours. Little is known about these issues for young people attending alternative education in New Zealand. To date promoting responsible sexual behaviour has focused on the reduction of health risk, yet new research is demonstrating that programmes which seek to the enhance protective factors, are more likely to be effective interventions than programmes designed solely to reduce problems such as teen pregnancy. These healthy youth development models focus on identifying and supporting protective factors, improving competence, facilitating connection to others through caring relationships, confidence and skill building opportunities (Blum 1998). These strategies seem consistent with positive Maori development models (Durie 1994). Objectives: 1. To describe the population of young people attending alternative education. 2. Determine the prevalence of sexual risk taking behaviours of young Maori attending alternative education. 3. Determine the prevalence of co-morbid health risk behaviours for young Maori attending alternative education. 4. Identify potential sexual health protective factors for young Maori attending alternative schools 5. Determine whether certain protective factors are associated with responsible sexual behaviour. Study design: An anonymous self-administered health and wellbeing survey of young people attending alternative education providers in the Northern Region of New Zealand was undertaken utilising a multi-media computer assisted survey instrument. Information regarding sexual and reproductive health and co-morbid health risk behaviours were measured. Potential protective factors were identified. Associations between potential protective factors and responsible sexual behaviour were tested.