Home⇛LPU-Laguna Journal of Arts and Sciences⇛vol. 5 no. 1 (2024)

Bridging the Gap: Understanding the Intersection of Religiosity and Sexual Health Awareness Among Catholic School Students

Cassandra Denise M. Austria | Sheila Mae A. Del Prado

Discipline: health studies

 

Abstract:

Catholicism is a big part of life in the Philippines. This study explores the current state of sex education among Catholic Junior High School students in the Philippines and examines how their religiosity influences their sexual awareness. This study seeks to address educational gaps, challenge societal taboos, and raise awareness about sexual and reproductive health. The research employs an explanatory sequential mixed method approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gain comprehensive insights. The findings reveal that male adolescents exhibit higher awareness of sexual health compared to female adolescents. For the overall result, the relationship between total religiosity and total sexual health awareness of the respondents (r=-0.28) is indirectly weak but significant, with a p-value of 0.001. This suggests that higher religiosity is associated with lower sexual health awareness among students. The study emphasizes that individuals are entitled to have accurate information and non-discriminatory healthcare. By addressing educational gaps, the study aspires to contribute to the development of more effective sex education programs. Such programs would empower young individuals to make informed and responsible decisions, having a healthier and well-informed population.



References:

  1. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295x.84.2.191   
  2. Boguszewski, R., Makowska, M., Bożewicz, M., & Podkowińska, M. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on religiosity in poland. Religions, 11(12), 646. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11120646   
  3. Borkar, R., Patil, C. G., & Meshram, S. A. (2015). Attitude of adolescent school students towards reproductive health education. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20151034    
  4. Candelaria, M. E. L., Rodriguez, M. B., Reyes, R. J. B., Clemente-Co, L. R. R., & Tatel, R. D. (2019). Knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of teenagers regarding sex in the community of los baños, laguna. Acta Medica Philippina, 52(5). https://doi.org/10.47895/amp.v52i5.310   
  5. De Torres, R. Q. (2020). facilitators and barriers to condom use among filipinos: a systematic review of literature. Health Promotion Perspectives, 10(4), 306–315. https://doi.org/10.34172/hpp.2020.49   
  6. Gianotten, W. L. (2023). The health benefits of sexual expression. Springer eBooks (pp. 41–48). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18432-1_4   
  7. Gunchi, M., Tanaka, Y., Tuliao, M. T. R., Ordonez, G., Hapsari, E. D., & Matsuo, H. (2018). current status of knowledge and attitude toward sti prevention among out-of-school youth in the philippines. Universal Journal of Public Health, 6(6), 359–365. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujph.2018.060607  
  8. Holdcroft, B. B. (2006). What is religiosity. Catholic Education: A Journal of inquiry and practice, 10(1). Home. (2023, July 12).  https://doi.org/10.15365/joce.1001082013   
  9. Iqbal, M. (2021). The level of knowledge and awareness about sex and reproductive health among adolescents in Kashmir. Journal of Psychosexual Health, 3(1), 51–56. https://doi.org/10.1177/2631831821989927   
  10. Joshanloo, M. (2019). Cultural religiosity as the moderator of the relationship between affective experience and life satisfaction: a study in 147 countries. Emotion, 19(4), 629–636. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000469   
  11. Kågesten, A., & Van Reeuwijk, M. (2021). Healthy sexuality development in adolescence: proposing a competency-based framework to inform programmes and research. Sexual and Reproductive            Health  Matters,           29(1),   104–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/26410397.2021.1996116   
  12. Kemigisha, E., Bruce, K., Ivanova, O. et al. (2019). Evaluation of a school based comprehensive sexuality education program among very young adolescents in rural uganda. BMC Public Health 19, 1393 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7805-y 
  13. Koenig, H. (2012). Religion, Spirituality and Health: The research and clinical implications. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/278730   
  14. Kranz, D., Niepel, C., Botes, E., & Greiff, S. (2023). Religiosity predicts unreasonable coping with covid-19. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 15(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000395   
  15. Larsson, F. M., Bowers-Sword, R., Narvaez, G., & Ugarte, W. J. (2022). Exploring sexual awareness and decision-making among adolescent girls and boys in rural nicaragua: a socio-ecological approach. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 31, 100676. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2021.100676   
  16. Leavitt, C. E., Lefkowitz, E. S., & Waterman, E. A. (2019). The role of sexual mindfulness in sexual wellbeing, relational wellbeing, and self-esteem. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 45(6), 497–509. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623x.2019.1572680   
  17. Leekuan, P., Kane, R., Sukwong, P., & Kulnitichai, W. (2022). Understanding sexual and reproductive health from the perspective of late adolescents in northern thailand: a phenomenological study. Reproductive Health, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01528-1   
  18. Longest, K. C., & Uecker, J. E. (2017). Moral communities and sex: the religious influence on young adult sexual behavior and regret. Sociological Perspectives, 61(3), 361–382. https://doi.org/10.1177/0731121417730015   
  19. Mantilla, A., Aquino, D., Castillo, J., Magadan, D., Meneses, K., U’Ren, J., (2023 July 6). how to strengthen the role of community engagement on the surge of teenage pregnancy in the philippines. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4496590   
  20. Marcinechová, D., & Záhorcová, L. (2020). Sexual satisfaction, sexual attitudes, and shame in relation to religiosity. Sexuality and Culture. 24(6), 1913–1928. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-020-09727-3   
  21. Merton, R. K. (1968). Social theory and social structure. Simon and. Schuster. https://dn790002.ca.archive.org/0/items/MertonSocialTheoryAndSocialStructure/Merton%2C%20Social%20Theory%20and%20Social%20Structure.pdf
  22. Mirasol, P. (2022) Filipino youths have low awareness of stis, hiv, and ec. https://www.bworldonline.com/health/2022/10/19/481426/filipino-youths-have-low-awareness-of-stis-hiv-and-ec/   
  23. Narushima, M., Wong, J. P., Li, A. T., Bhagat, D., Bisignano, A., Fung, K., & Poon, M. K. (2020). Youth perspectives on sexual health education: voices from the yep study in toronto. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 29(1), 32–44. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2019-0049   
  24. Ngo, K. K. Y. (2021, July 1). Understanding sexual health in the philippines. Hello Doctor. https://hellodoctor.com.ph/sexual-wellness/sti-std/sexual-health-in-the-philippines/  
  25. Orenstein, G. A. (2022, November 7). Eriksons stages of psychosocial development. StatPearls- NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556096/  
  26. Piaget, J. (1976). Piaget’s theory. Springer eBooks (pp. 11–23). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46323-5_2   
  27. Philippine Statistics Authority (2023 February 22). Religious affiliation in the philippines (2020 census of population and housing). https://psa.gov.ph/content/religious-affiliation-philippines-2020-census-population-and-housing   
  28. Rimban, E. (2023). Exploring the sexual practices of young filipina teenagers: an indigenous approach to understanding early consensual relations in filipino psychology. Social Science Research Network. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4476043   
  29. Salvador, J. T., Sauce, B. R. J., Alvarez, M. O. C., & Rosario, A. B. (2016). The phenomenon of teenage pregnancy in the philippines. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 12(32), 173. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2016.v12n32p173   
  30. Somefun, O. D. (2019). Religiosity and sexual abstinence among nigerian youths: does parent religion matter? BMC Public Health, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6732-2   
  31. Stulhofer, A., Soh, D., Jelaska, N., Bacak, V., & Landripet, I. (2011). Religiosity and sexual risk behavior among croatian college students, 1998–2008. Journal of Sex Research, 48(4), 360–371. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2010.494257   
  32. Tanaka, Y., Llave, C. L., Tuliao, M. T. R., Yamashita, T., & Matsuo, H. (2017). Knowledge, behavior and attitudes concerning sti prevention among out-of-school youth in the philippines. Universal Journal of Public Health, 5(3),            127–134. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujph.2017.050307   
  33. Tuason, I. C., Bernarte, R., & Dong, F. (2017). The relationship of religion, religiosity, and parental communication in the sexual behaviors of filipinos aged 18-25 years in the united states and the philippines. Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal, 2(4), 124-132. https://doi.org/10.9741/23736658.1060   
  34. UNESCO (2023 June 22). Comprehensive sexuality education: for healthy, informed, and empowered learners. https://www.unesco.org/en/health-education/cse   
  35. Villani, D., Sorgente, A., Iannello, P., & Antonietti, M. (2019). The role of spirituality and religiosity in subjective well-being of individuals with different religious status. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01525   
  36. Visalli, G., Cosenza, B., Mazzù, F., Bertuccio, M. P., Spataro, P., Pellicanò, G. F., Di Pietro, A., Picerno, I., & Facciolà, A. (2019). Knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and risky behaviours: a survey among high school and university students. PubMed, 60(2), E84– E92. https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2019.60.2.1079   
  37. World Health Organization (2023). Comprehensive sexuality education. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/comprehensive-sexuality-education  
  38. Yabut, H. J. (2019). Tungo sa sikolohikal na pananaliksik ng espiritwalidad at relihiyon sa sikohiyang pilipino. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347396174_Tungo_sa_Sikolohikal_na_Pananaliksik_ng_Espiritwalidad_at_Relihiyon_sa_Sikohiyang_Pilipino   
  39. Jorvina, S. M., Cabate, D. C., & Delgaco, W. D. (2023). Implementation of comprehensive sexuality education policy in public elementary schools in one district Camarines Norte, Philippines. International Education Trend Issues, 1(3), 120–126. https://doi.org/10.56442/ieti.v1i3.191   
  40. Tanaka, Y., Araullo, G. O., Tuliao, M. T., Yamashita, T., Okuda, K., Baua, E. C., & Matsuo, H. (2020). The current situation and issues of sexual health education by school nurses in Muntinlupa City, Philippines. Universal Journal of Public Health, 8(6), 185–192. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujph.2020.080601   
  41. Unaidsap. (2017, August 4). PRESS RELEASE: UNAIDS report indicates new HIV infections in the Philippines have doubled in the past 6 years. UNAIDS Asia-Pacific. https://unaids-ap.org/2017/08/01/press-statement-unaids-report-indicates-new-hiv-infections-in-the-philippines-have-doubled-in-the-past-6-years/   
  42. Shalihin, N., Darmaiza, Sholihin, M., & Yusuf, M. (2023). Muslim millennials fashion self-congruity:How the religiosity and spiritual well-being affect? Cogent Social Sciences, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2023.2194110   
  43. Joseph, S., & DiDuca, D. (2007). The Dimensions of Religiosity Scale: 20-item self-report measure of religious preoccupation, guidance, conviction, and emotional involvement. Mental Health Religion & Culture, 10(6), 603–608. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674670601050295

Tools


Copyright © 2026  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic