IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences (IOSR-JDMS) e-ISSN: 2279-0853, p-ISSN: 2279-0861.Volume 17, Issue 4 Ver. 6 (April. 2018), PP 06-14 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0853-1704060614 www.iosrjournals.org 6 | Page The Impact of Parent Adolescent Communication on Sexuality on Sexual Debut and Related Risk Behaviors among In School Adolescents in Benin City. Dr Vivien O. Abah. Department of Family Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State Nigeria. Corresponding Author: Dr Vivien O. Abah Abstract: Background: adolescent sexual practice is increasing worldwide with serious health and social consequences. Parent adolescent communication on sexuality (PACS) despite being rare has been found to have positive impact on delaying sexual debut among adolescents but receives little attention in strategies targeting improved adolescent sexual outcome. There is need to explore the prevalence and content of PACS, the adolescent’s perception thereof and the mode of impact on their sexual practice in our environment. Aim and Objectives: To determine the pattern and content of parent adolescent communication on sexuality, the adolescent’s perception of the discussion and impact on their sexual practice. Methodology: Over 400 senior secondary school students from 2 mixed day schools were recruited by random sampling. Only 336 customised self administered questionnaires were adequate for analysis. P value was set at 0.05. Results: The prevalence of sexual debut was 10.1 %. PACS was provided mostly by mothers at a prevalence of 46.7% with a significant relationship with sexual debut, other risk behaviours, female gender and maternal education. PACS was mostly perceived as educative but with low coverage of sexual health issues and impacted sexual debut via moral persuasion. Conclusion: Parent adolescent communication on sexuality positively impacts adolescent sexual debut and other risk behaviours via moral persuasion. Strategies to improve adolescent sexual outcome should target parental practice and capacity for PACS. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 29-03-2018 Date of acceptance: 14-04-2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction The world is currently having the largest population of adolescents ever. At over 1.8 billion adolescents and youth in the world, 1 70% of them living in the developing nations and about 37.8 million adolescents in Nigeria (22.3% of the total population), 2 this demographic subset demands focused attention. The adolescent is that individual aged 10 -19 years who is transiting from childhood to adulthood. 2 The transition involves rapid changes in physical, psychological, sexual and mental domains posing a great challenge for the youth. Sexuality is a central aspect of being human and beyond sex, includes gender identity and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, intimacy and reproduction. It is experienced and expressed in thoughts beliefs, fantasies, desires, values, attitudes, behaviours, roles and relationships. It is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, legal, historical, religious and spiritual factors. 3 The home is the central milieu in which sexuality is developed and through which all these factors impact on the individual and the major mediating factor is parenting. Sexuality development occurs right from birth as the child is nurtured along gender specific trajectories dictated by societal norms. The adolescent stage is of particular importance because biological factors in puberty drive the increase in sexual feelings and interest in the child. The need for accurate information and support from parents becomes urgent to enable them understand and manage themselves effectively. Worldwide, adolescent sexual activity is increasing with attendant adverse consequences on pattern of sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, abortion related morbidities and mortality, interrupted education 4 and teenage motherhood with a resultant vicious cycle of maternal poverty. Factors like gender, child personality, educational status, socioeconomic status, religion and culture, family structure, functioning and ecology, 5,6 and neighbourhood characteristics 7 etc influence sexual decisions and practice among adolescents. Sexual health issues of concern include early sexual debut, poor condom use, multiple partners, transactional motivation, 8 sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy. In Nigeria, prevalence of sexual activity among in school adolescents in Ilorin (north central) was found to be 28.2% 9 and in a similar population in Ibadan (south west) it was 28.3%. 10 Another study in south west Nigeria confirmed that parental influence deters sexual indulgence. 11 While a study in the south south