Effective sexual and reproductive health information communication interventions between parents and adolescents are associated with communication skills, SRH knowledge, and personal and social motivation, with method, experts, and place of delivery being important considerations for culturally sensitive adaptation.
Key Findings
Results
Effective SRH information communication interventions are associated with parent-adolescent SRH information communication skills.
Finding confirmed through both systematic review of lower-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) and qualitative interviews in Ghana
Communication skills were identified as a core component of effective SRH IC interventions
The qualitative phase used semi-structured individual interviews with parent-adolescent pairs to confirm and explain systematic review findings
Explanatory sequential Mixed Methods Research design was used, with qualitative findings used to explain quantitative systematic review results
Results
SRH communication between parents and adolescents is influenced by the SRH information that parents and adolescents possess.
Both parents and adolescents' level of SRH knowledge was identified as a factor shaping communication
This finding emerged from integration of systematic review and qualitative study findings
The study was conducted in the Asante Akyem North Municipality of Ghana
A purposive sample of ten parent-adolescent pairs was selected, with all participants interviewed individually
Results
Personal and social motivation to communicate SRH information was identified as an influencing factor in parent-adolescent SRH communication.
Both personal motivation and social motivation were distinguished as separate but related influences
This factor was identified across the mixed methods research phases
Sample demographics were based on those highlighted in the systematic review to ensure contextual relevance
The semi-structured interview guide was developed directly from the findings of the systematic review
Results
The method of intervention delivery, the experts involved, and the place of delivery were identified as important considerations for adapting and implementing SRH IC interventions.
These structural and logistical factors were highlighted as critical for culturally sensitive adaptation of interventions
Findings are intended to inform adaptation of SRH IC interventions in Ghanaian and similar LMIC contexts
The systematic review utilized Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) software and focused on lower-and-middle-income countries
The qualitative phase used an exploratory qualitative design with purposive sampling of ten parent-adolescent pairs
Conclusions
The study provided contextual information on the components of a culturally sensitive SRH information communication intervention suitable for adaptation in Ghana.
The mixed methods approach generated contextual information to explain and expand on systematic review findings
Ten parent-adolescent pairs from Asante Akyem North Municipality of Ghana were interviewed individually
The study design followed an explanatory sequential Mixed Methods Research framework
The findings are described as helpful for the adaptation of SRH IC interventions in culturally specific contexts
What This Means
This research suggests that improving conversations about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) between parents and teenagers in Ghana requires attention to several interconnected factors. The study used a two-phase approach: first reviewing existing research from lower- and middle-income countries, then conducting in-depth interviews with ten parent-teenager pairs in the Asante Akyem North Municipality of Ghana. The interviews were designed to help explain and contextualize what the broader research review had found.
The study found that for parent-adolescent SRH communication to be effective, both parents and teenagers need good communication skills, adequate SRH knowledge, and motivation—both personal and social—to have these conversations. Additionally, practical considerations such as who delivers the intervention (which experts are involved), how it is delivered, and where it takes place are important factors in making any program work in a specific cultural context.
This research matters because it moves toward developing a culturally appropriate intervention that could help parents and adolescents in Ghana communicate more openly about sexual and reproductive health topics. Better communication could help teenagers make more informed decisions about their health. The findings highlight that simply importing health communication programs from other settings is insufficient—programs need to be thoughtfully adapted to local cultural norms, knowledge levels, and social contexts to be effective.
Agyei F, Kaura D, Bell J. (2025). Parent-adolescent sexual and reproductive health information communication in Ghana.. Reproductive health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-01961-y