ABSTRACT
The study assessed the influence of
functional literacy on women reproductive health practices in Lagos Mainland Local
Government Area of Lagos State. The purpose is to establish the link between
educational status and improvement of the girls and women reproductive health,
to examine the girls’ and women’s knowledge about their reproductive health,
assess the content and adequacy of female functional literacy for health
projects in Lagos Mainland. And determine if participant’s occupation would
affect their performance in the female functional literacy for health issues
and to ascertain whether participants in the female literacy for health issues
have better control in their reproductive life than when they were not. Five
hypotheses were tested for the study. The research design was survey in nature.
The questionnaire was developed for data collection. The total numbers of 150
respondents were selected through the stratified random sampling method.
Findings of this study reveal that there is a significant impact of education
status on reproductive health, Also information and content of female
functional literacy for health issues about reproductive health yielded
positive results. Further, it was noted
that participant’s occupation has significant effect on performance and
attendance to literacy programmes. The result also indicates that there is a
difference between the way the girls and women manage their reproductive health
when they participate in literacy programme than when they do not .On the basis
of this findings, these recommendations were made: Literacy education for the girls and women
must be promoted. There is therefore need for federal, state and local
government to involve more women to participate in functional literacy for
health issues and other socio- economic matters, more awareness should be
intensified to acquaint women with what
constitute their reproductive health issues. Facilitators to female functional
literacy need to be aware of the principles of adult learning in order to
enhance the effectiveness of programme delivery, participants in literacy
programmes should be motivated to promote their interest, attitude and ability
to fully engage in the learning activities and finally, women should be
empowered financially for better performance in literacy programmes for health
and other related issues.
TABLE
OF CONTENT
TITLE PAGES
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of
content vi
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
to the Study 1
Statement
of the Problem 5
Purpose
of the Study 6
Research
Questions 7
Research
Hypotheses 7
Significance
of the Study 8
Scope
of the Study 9
Operational
Definitions of Terms 9
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction 11
The
Concept of Functional Literacy 12
Past
Literacy Efforts 19
The
Meaning of Reproductive Health 21
Sexual
Reproductive Health Education 28
Improving
the Reproductive Health of Women 31
The
Influence of Functional Literacy on Women Reproductive Health 34
Theories
that explain Adults Learning in Functional Literacy for Health 36
Programmes
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction 40
Research Design 40
Population 40
Sample and Sampling
Techniques 40
Method of Data Collection
(Research Instrument) 41
Validation of Research
Instrument 41
Administration of Instrument 41
Method of Data Presentation
and Analysis 42
CHAPTER FOUR
EMPIRICAL RESULT AND
DISCUSSION
Introduction 43
Descriptive
Data 43
Testing
of Hypotheses 55
Discussion
of finding 60
CHAPTER
FIVE
SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION, SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES
Introduction 62
Summary 62
Recommendations 63
Conclusion 64
Suggestion for
further studies 65
REFERENCES 66
APPENDIX 69
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
According to Anyanwu (1992),
literacy education generally is seen as a part of the process, by which
ignorant or non-literate persons become aware of their personal situation and
learn to do something about improving it. In the process, it becomes a means of
achieving political, economic, social and cultural upliftment and human rights.
This will enable the people who acquire literacy to play remarkable roles in
making their world a better place to live in. As a concept, literacy has many dimensions and
its meaning varies according to context (Bakare, 2004). Literacy is now seen
more in terms of whatever is required for one to be functionally competent,
which may also involve the possession of certain basic skills. This is the idea
behind functional literacy. A
functionally literate person by UNESCO (1978) conception is one who is able to
engage in all those activities in which literacy is required for effective
functioning of his group and community. In line with UNESCO’s definition,
Egenti (2005) sees functional literacy as that aspect of education which
enables an individual to perform his role in society. That is, it is an
exercise in literacy education which is integrated with development and one
which becomes, from its very nature a constituent part of a development plan. Literacy,
therefore, is an indispensable strategy for empowering the girls, women and
men. In essence, it is seen as a part of the way of improving a better quality
of life. This is because it has the potency to fight ignorance, poverty,
diseases, disillusionment and abandonment which are obstacles to self-
fulfillment of an individual.
It is instructive to note that high
levels of illiteracy among the girls and women are closely linked to poor
health status in the family (Udeani, 2004). This is why the Federal Ministry of
Health conferred with the World Health Organization in 1987 to initiate the
female functional literacy for health projects in Benue and Niger States.
Literacy and Numeracy Lessons were organized around several health issues such
as nutrition, child care, personal and environmental health, reproductive
health, combined with health improvement activities for mothers. The
development of primers in Tiv and Nupe languages were used to achieve the
project objectives of literacy, health and income generation as they were the
medium for three component messages. The remarkable improvement in the total
quality of life project participants in the two states gave the project
implementers at the Federal, State and Local Government levels the
encouragement and confidence to call for the national replication of the
project. The primers are now written in English and translated into three major
languages of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba to make them more relevant to a wider
audience.
However, the importance of
functional literacy for girls and women reproductive health control can not be
underscored. Evidences abound in literature on handsome rewards of functional
literacy in promoting the girls and women reproductive health practices. Udeani
(2004) posits that literacy is a key factor influencing women reproductive
health. In other words, reproductive health practices may depend on level of
education. This is why Njelesani, E.K. the World Health Organization (WHO)
Representative for Nigeria said, ‘Education kills the disease of ignorance,
superstitions, fear and poverty. In addition, Egenti (2005), citing Malniguist
(1970) notes that ‘if we want to conquer poverty, hunger and disease in the
world, we have to conquer illiteracy first. It is the most serious handicap for
economic, social, political and individual development that we know’. There is
therefore a strong case for suggesting that functional literacy can provide the
girls and women knowledge about their sexuality, family planning, and other
reproductive health issues.
In literature, reproductive health
implies a state of complete physical, mental and social well- being / fitness
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to
the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Owanasonye (1999)
posits that the reproductive life of a woman starts from her age at menarche
(age at which she starts menstruating). At the onset, she must be made to
acquaint herself with her reproductive health through some mapped out education
programme.
Most
undeniably, women in Nigeria, including Lagos Mainland reproductive health’s
affect and are affected by the
broader context of their lives, including their economic circumstances,
education, employment, living conditions and family environment, social and
gender relationships, and the traditional and legal structures within which
they live. As noted by Owanasonye
(1999), sexual and reproductive behaviours are governed by complex biological,
cultural and psychosocial factors.
Therefore, the attainment of reproductive health is not limited to
interventions by the health sector alone. According to Wikipedia Contributors
(2012), most reproductive health problems cannot be significantly addressed in
the absence of health services and medical knowledge and skills. The status of girls
and women in society, and how they are treated or mistreated, is a crucial
determinant of their reproductive health. Educational opportunities for girls
and women powerfully affect their status and the control they have over their
own lives and their health and fertility. The empowerment of women is therefore
an essential element for health.
Undeniably, women bear by far the
greatest burden of reproductive health problems. Women are at risk of
complications from pregnancy and childbirth; they also face risks in preventing
unwanted pregnancy, suffer the complications of unsafe abortion, bear most of
the burden of contraception, and are more exposed to contracting, and suffering
the complications of reproductive tract infections, particularly sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs). Statistics show that among women of reproductive age, 36% of
all healthy years of life lost are due to reproductive health problems such as
unregulated fertility, maternal mortality and morbidity and sexually
transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.
By contrast, the equivalent figure for men is 12 % (United Nations
Population Network, 2012). Biological factors alone do not explain women's
disparate burden. Their social, economic and political disadvantages have a
detrimental impact on their reproductive health. Young people of both sexes are
also particularly vulnerable to reproductive health problems because of a lack
of information and access to services ( Ransome-Kuti, 2001). Given
this situation, the study seeks to examine the influence of functional literacy
on women reproductive health practices in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area
where research study appears to be scanty on the subject of study.
Statement of the Problem
Girls
and women face health problems related to their reproductive role, inferior
social status, and lack of education and access to information. Consequently,
they are often poorly informed about their sexuality, and become vulnerable to
such problems as unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted
diseases. Although, the Federal Ministry
of Health conferred with the World Health Organisation in 1987 to initiate the
female functional literacy for health projects in Nigeria, yet statistics show
that 50 per cent of maternal deaths are young adult women due to illegal
abortions, abortion complication account for 72 per cent of all deaths among
young adult women under the age of 19 years. Report also indicates that some 8
million children around the world have lost their mothers to HIV/AIDs (Ransome
–Kuti, 2001). The fore going provide the basis for examining the influence of
functional literacy on women reproductive health practices and how this
functional literacy can help alleviate to problem of reproductive health
behavior.
Purpose of the Study
Generally,
the objective of the study is to examine the influence of functional literacy
on women reproductive health practices. However, this study will:
1. Establish
the relationship between educational status and improvement of the girls and
women reproductive health.
2. Examine
the girls’ and women’s knowledge about their reproductive health.
3. Assess
the content and adequacy of female functional literacy for heath projects in
Lagos Mainland.
4. Determine
if participants’ occupation would affect their performance in the female
functional literacy for health issues.
5. Ascertain
whether participants in the female functional literacy for health issues have
better control in their reproductive life than when they were not.
Research Questions
The
following questions are raised to guide the study
1. Does
educational status of the girls and women have positive influence in promoting
their reproductive life?
2. Do
the girls and women have knowledge of their reproductive health?
3. How
relevant and effective is the female functional literacy for health programmes
in Lagos Mainland?
4. What
influence does participants’ occupation have in their performance in female
functional literacy for health issues?
5. Will
the girls and women who participate in functional literacy for health issues
have control in their sexual lives than when they were not?
Research Hypotheses
The
null hypotheses predicted and tested for the study are as follows:
1. The
level of education of the girls and women will not have significant positive
effect in promoting their reproductive health.
2. The
type of information available to the girls and women does not have significant
effect on their reproductive heath practices.
3. The
content of the female functional literacy for health programmes does not have
significant positive effect in promoting their sexuality.
4. Participants’
occupation does not have significant effect on their level of performance in
female functional literacy for health programmes.
5. Participants
in female functional literacy for health will not be capable of having
satisfying and safe sex.
Significance of the Study
The
study is relevant in the true sense that it will promote the girls and women
reproductive health. It has identified the place of female functional literacy
for health issues and documents the present health improvement activities for
the girls and women in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area. The study will
help non- literate women population in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos State
with the skills (cognitive and occupational) necessary for maintaining a safe
sex life. It will assist policy makers and instructors/ facilitators to have a
deeper insight into more practical methods of organizing female functional
literacy for health projects. It will help government at all levels to promote literacy
education whether for the child or adults because of its importance to the
recipients’ lives. This study will also be a good reference material for the
governments at all levels, more especially the Lagos State Government to
utilize in identifying and promoting reproductive health of youth, women and
men living in the state. The girls and women in the state will have to benefit
from the study because it will serve as a mechanism of promoting their
reproductive health. This study will further enhance participants’ capability
to acquire or increase their literacy skill of reading, writing and numeracy.
It will also add literature to the existing field of adult education.
Scope of the Study
The
interest of this study is to assess the influence of functional literacy on
women reproductive health practices specifically in Lagos Mainland Local
Government Area. The study covers 150 girls and women who participated or are
still participating in functional literacy for health programmes. Also time and
material pose some constraints.
Operational Definitions of Terms
The
following terms are operationally defined.
Literacy:
Ability to read, write in any language and to manipulate figures.
Functional Literacy: Using the literacy
skills for ones’ occupation and environment.
Education:
Building a self conscious human being.
Adult Education: Educational
activities that are developed to meet the educational needs of adults.
Reproductive Health: The
physical, mental and spiritual well- being of people. It is the complete women
sexuality.
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