Exploring the relationship between mothers' competence and comfort in sexual and reproductive health discourse with adolescent girls and its related factors.

OBJECTIVES: The mothers-adolescent discussion regarding sexual and reproductive health (SHR) issues plays an important role in preventing negative outcome associated with sexual risk behaviors. The present study aimed to explore the relationship between mothers' competence and comfort in SHR discourse with adolescent girls and its related factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 160 mothers from July to September 2020. Data were collected through questionnaires covering demographic characteristics, Mother's Comfort in Sexual Discourse (MCSD), Mother's Interest in Sexual Discourse (MISD), and Parenting Sense of Competence (PSOC). The collected data were analyzed using simple and multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: The mean scores for MCSD, MISD, and PSOC were 45.49±16.15 (13-78), 7.9±4.2 (0-13), and 64.07±9.44 (45-94), respectively. The primary topics of mother-adolescent discourse on SRH were menstruation (5.61±0.98) and the delivery process (4.55±1.57). The mean age for "sex talks" and age-appropriate "sex talks" with daughters was 11.76±1.85 (range: 6-15) and 17.05±1.86 (range: 14-23) years, respectively. Significant associations were found between MCSD and MISD (ß=0.482, p<0.0001), PSOC (ß=0.223, p<0.005), self-efficacy (ß=0.202, p<0.011), mother's job (ß=0.185, p<0.019), mother's education (ß=0.173, p<0.029), and father's age (ß=0.161, p<0.042). After adjusting for other variables, major influencing factors on MCSD included MISD (ß=0.487, p<0.0001), self-efficacy (ß=0.143, p<0.039), satisfaction (ß=0.169, p<0.015), daughter number (ß=-0.235, p<0.014), son number (ß=-0.219, p<0.024), birth rank (ß=0.263, p<0.008), and residency (ß=0.172, p<0.014). CONCLUSIONS: MISD, PSOC, and certain demographic characteristics emerge as significant factors influencing MCSD in mother-daughter sexual discourse. As such, it is imperative to consider these determinants when devising strategies to maintain and enhance the sexual health of teenage girls.

Effect of Sexual Health Education of Mothers on Their Comfort and Intention to Discuss Sex-Related Topics with Adolescent Girls: A Controlled Intervention Study.

Sex education is one of the most challenging topics for mothers. Therefore, we examined the effect of sexual health education of mothers on their comfort and intention to discuss sex-related topics with adolescent girls. In this controlled intervention study, 160 mothers of 13- to 16-year-old girls were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control groups. The intervention group underwent sexual health training, while the control group received routine care. Paired t-test, chi-square, analysis of covariance, and multivariate analysis of covariance were used for the analysis of data. There was a significant increase in mean parents' comfort in discussing sex topics in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < .001). The intervention group had spoken with their child to a higher extent than the control group in all 13 items of parents' Intention index for discussing sex topics with the child (except for delivery and menstruation) (p < .05).There was no significant difference between groups for the mean age appropriate for discussing sex topics with the child, Sense of Competence as well as its dimensions, such as self-efficacy and satisfaction. Mean pre-to-post scores of sense of Competence in child rearing (p = .04) and self-efficacy (p = .037) significantly increased in the intervention groups, while they were not significant in the control group. Sexual health education was effective in the feeling of interest and comfort of mothers to discuss sex topics. Therefore, counseling services on mothers' speech interactions are recommended to promote adolescent girl's sexual health.

Detecting adenosine triphosphatase 6 (pfATP6) point mutations that may be associated with Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin: prevalence at baseline, before policy change in Uganda.

The artemisinin based combination therapy (ACT) of artemether and lumefantrine (Co-artem) has recently replaced chloroquine and fansidar as the first line treatment policy drug in Uganda. It is necessary to develop practical procedures to monitor the likely emergence and spread of artemisinin resistant P. falciparum strains. We have analyzed the genotypes of PfATP6 in parasites from 300 stored filter paper samples from malaria patients who were diagnosed and treated in the years 1999 to 2004 at three field sites in Uganda. This is a period just prior to introduction of Co-artem. In order to develop a simple molecular procedure for mutation detection, regions of PfATP6 encoding protein domains important in artemisinin binding was amplified by nested PCR. Three DNA products, which together contain most of the coding region of amino acids located within the putative active site of pfATP6 were readily amplified. The amplified DNA was digested by restriction enzymes and the fragments sized by agarose gel electrophoresis. For the important codons 260, 263 and 769, methods using engineered restriction sites were employed. We did not find mutations at codons for the key residues Lys 260, Leu263, Gln266, Ser769 and Asn1039. Nucleotide sequencing of pfATPase6 gene DNA from at least 15 clinical isolates confirmed the above findings and suggested that mutations at these amino acid residues have not emerged in our study sites.