Peer education programme to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Rwanda

A peer education programme was developed in response to the tendency of high school students in Rwanda to seek sexual and reproductive health information from peers who are often inadequately informed.

To assess the effect of Sexual and Reproductive Health Peer Education Programme (SRH PEP) on knowledge and the attitudes of SRH among high school adolescents in Rwanda.

The study was conducted at selected high schools in Rwanda.

This pre-test and post-test design study was conducted in two selected high schools. The pre-test data were collected in February 2020, followed by the post-test data in May 2022. A total of 536 students participated in this study. The effect on SRH knowledge and attitudes was measured using a paired t-test.

Of the total 536 questionnaires administered, only 508 were well completed (response rate of 94.7%). After the intervention, there was an increase in knowledge and attitude regarding SRH (M = 15.87 vs 19.9, p < 0.001; M = 7.95 vs 10.66, p < 0.001, respectively). The proportion of correct responses to knowledge and attitude was also significantly improved after the intervention (p < 0.05).

This study underscored the pivotal role of peer-led SRH education programmes as an effective modality for educating adolescents and young adults about SRH. There is a need for integrating structured peer education initiatives into school-based programmes to ensure adolescents receive accurate and reliable SRH information.

This study contributes to the field of adolescent SRH by demonstrating the effectiveness of peer education programmes (PEPs) in enhancing knowledge and attitudes among high school students.