A Quantitative Survey of Knowledge of Reproductive Health Issues of 12-14-year-old Girls of Different Ethnic and Religious Backgrounds in Iran: Implications for education

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Abstract
A quantitative research study was conducted to examine the knowledge of girls aged 12-14 years regarding reproductive health in five cities in Iran with different ethnic and cultural majorities. A cross-sectional study using a self-administrated questionnaire was conducted among guide school (middle school) pupils. Data analysis was based on 1,893 questionnaires. The internal consistency of the items was 0.80. Overall, knowledge level was unsatisfactory. An association between age and knowledge about reproductive health was found. Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference in the knowledge of reproductive health between cities. The findings suggest that reproductive health education initiatives that involve mothers may be most appro priate in terms of cultural and religious sensitivities, and be in keeping with the wishes of the girls themselves.