Sexual and Reproductive Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy Among Young Adult Filipino American Women

Abstract

Introduction: Little is known about Filipino American women’s (FAW) sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The purpose of this study was to examine the SRH knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy among young adult FAW. Method: This was a qualitative, descriptive interpretive design. Four focus group interviews and one individual interview were conducted. Purposive sampling was used for this study. Inclusion criteria were female, Filipino American, between the ages 18 and 24 years old, and be able to understand and speak English. Results: Twelve participants ( n = 12) were recruited. Three themes emerged from this study: (a) sources of SRH information; (b) influence of cultural values, religion, and intergenerational factors; and (c) facilitators of and barriers to women’s health services. Discussion: Themes emerged from the content analysis identifying SRH disparities within the Filipino American community, which may inform future interventions and research on this topic.

An interdisciplinary critical lens on the herstorical contributions and health outcomes among Filipinx American women.

“…Given this context, generations of FilAms (from grandparents, parents, and children) unsurprisingly find it difficult to navigate nuanced conversations about sex and women's health (Nagtalon-Ramos et al, 2022). Instead, community-based qualitative studies in Los Angeles revealed that children received most of their fact-based sexual education from schools and friends, choosing largely to omit conversations with their parents and grandparents to avoid conflict.…”