Introduction
Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) literacy is one of the significant prerequisites of promoting the social adaptation of women. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the concept of SRH literacy in women as the ability to have cognitive and social skills required to access, understand, and use the information in a manner that promotes co-existence and good health (Cheong et al., 2018). In most cases, literacy should facilitate operations, interactions, and overall functional ability in the community. Previous studies have suggested that education and literacy on matters concerning sexuality among women have improved their health and that of children and their families. Therefore, this research paper aims to explore the role of sexual and reproductive health literacy in women’s social adaptation.
Method
The study was conducted among the women who had previously visited the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic in New York City. The design of the research used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to determine the effects of reproductive health literacy on women’s social adaptation (Maricic et al., 2020). The sources’ results were critically analyzed and recorded to help promote the accuracy of the present outcome. In terms of the quantitative technique, some secondary sources on the topic were analyzed (Maricic et al., 2020). Subsequently, the study administered self-structured questionnaires comprising of several parts: sexual, reproductive, and health knowledge and behavior, personal health lifestyle, and social effect. The respondents were expected to take actively take part to help in answering these questions.
The research subjects were 300 women chosen through stratified sampling among the beneficiaries of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic in New York City. The criteria for selecting the respondents were mainly based on the four main factors (Maricic et al., 2020). These included the willingness to participate in the study, the age over 18 years, and a reasonable and sound mind to take part in the exercise and answer the questionnaire as expected.
Before the research’s onset, all respondents were familiarized with the objectives and the standard procedures of the investigation. They were provided with the opportunity to explore the questions before they submitted their answers. Later, the participants were allowed to carry out the exercise to help in determining the results. The obtained results were subsequently analyzed using inferential statistical methods such as Chi-Square Test (Aaby et al., 2017). Further, the descriptive statistical approaches for measuring central tendency, such as mean and median, were applied. The study results were later processed using the Chi-Square (Aaby et al., 2017). The entire process was carried out with due diligence to promote the validity and reliability of the results. Importantly, the consent of the respondents was requested before the research.
Results
The results obtained from the study showed that a complete number of 145 subjects had 70% literacy on sexuality and reproductive health, while 30% of the entire population had an inadequate level of health literacy. The largest number of the subject that had the knowledge mainly comprised of women aged 18-29 years, while the rest with limited knowledge were predominantly 49 years and above (Maricic et al., 2020). The categorization of the above age group was indicated that older women were less educated than younger participants.
Concerning social adaptation, the results indicated that 96% of the women with adequate literacy were socially adaptable and capable of carrying out their activities as required by the community. Based on the Chi-Square results, a significant difference (p=0.288) was detected (Maricic et al., 2020). The above figures show a positive correlation between the literacy level and the social adaption of women. Consequently, only 40% of the illiterate participants were sociable (Maricic et al., 2020). This trend indicates that lack of education harmed social adaption among women in society.
Discussion
Based on the provided results, it is clear that sexual and reproductive health literacy directly correlates with women’s social adaption. According to the Chi-Square results, it was evident that there is a positive correlation between literacy and social cohesion. In other words, women with SRH in literacy were positively linked to ideal health behavior, integration with other society members, and effective utilization of health care services (Maricic et al., 2020). The outcomes further suggested that well-educated women on matters related to sexuality respond well to issues affecting the community members. Consequently, the research revealed that illiteracy on the issues related to sexuality had a significant impact on reducing these subjects’ power to socialize in the community. In most cases, the lack of education in this critical part made most of the participants fail to carry out their duties as expected.
The above results confirm the information collected from the secondary sources, which indicates a positive correlation between the variables. According to the sources, elite women were socially adaptable and excellent in carrying out their society’s operations. The largest percentage of the population (84%) of literate women performed well. These members were capable of accepting, understanding, and using health care information in the best way to improve their lives and that of society’s members (Maricic et al., 2020). Research conducted by other professionals continued to indicate a constructive relationship between these critical parameters (Aaby et al., 2017). As a result, the researchers concluded that SRH literacy positively correlated with women’s social adaptation in the community. The study noted that educated women could promote social progress and we’re determined to take care of their families in the best interest.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is notable that literacy in sexual and reproductive health directly relates to women’s ability to adapt socially. The outcomes showed a significant positive difference between these parameters. Therefore, every state needs to promote health literacy among women. Even though the process may be regarded as an individual effort, it should be conditioned by the relevant authorities to help achieve the required level of social adaption. One of the powerful strengths of the study is that it utilized both the qualitative and qualitative approaches to effectively analyze the data. Nevertheless, the research conducted in the health care facility should not be used as the main ground for promoting social adaption among women. The health care providers should understand that the provision of such literacy is an essential strategy for promoting health and the overall social and economic capacity of these members of society. However, more studies should be carried out to help in validating the above results.
References
Aaby, A., Friis, K., Christensen, B., Rowlands, G., & Maindal, H. T. (2017). Health literacy is associated with health behavior and self-reported health: A large population-based study in individuals with cardiovascular disease. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 24(17), 1880-1888.
Cheong, S. M., Nor, M., Ahmad, M. H., Manickam, M., Ambak, R., Shahrir, S. N., & Aris, T. (2018). Improvement of health literacy and intervention measurements among low socioeconomic status women: Findings from the Mybff@ home study. BMC Women’s Health, 18(1), 99-102.
Maricic, M., Curuvija, R. A., & Stepovic, M. (2020). Health literacy in female–association with socioeconomic factors and effects on reproductive health. Serbian Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research, 21(2), 127-132. Web.