Reproductive Health and Risk Behavior of Adolescents in Northern Mindanao, Philippines, 2005
Magdalena Cabaraban; Maria Teresa Sharon Linog
Philippine Population Association
E-mail:ppaphils@yahoo.com

This paper examines the differences in adolescents' reproductive health and risk behavior in urban and rural settings by analyzing data obtained from 60 in depth interviews and 12 focus group discussions of purposively chosen adolescents from two provinces (Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental) of Region 10 in Mindanao. The topics covered include knowledge of the elements of reproductive health (RH), experiences of abuses, knowledge, attitudes on sex and sexuality and non-sexual health risk behavior. The findings reveal deficient knowledge of adolescents in RH, that they are likely recipients of physical and verbal abuses from their parents, that sex and sexuality are subjects not open for discussion, and widespread practices of non-sexual risk behavior. Smoking is high among rural and indigenous males compared with urban counterpart and use of prohibited drugs in widespread in both urban and rural communities.