Fathers’ reflections on adolescent sex education in Chile - Generación de Transición

Abstract

Since the introduction of the HPV vaccine in Chile in 2014, there have been few studies exploring parental perspectives on the vaccine or on adolescent sex and sexuality education, and even fewer exploring fathers’ perspectives. Subsequent to an earlier study of Chilean mothers’ attitudes towards the HPV vaccine and adolescent sexual health and education, we conducted a study of fathers’ attitudes. Fathers with children aged 9–19 years were recruited at an outpatient clinic in Linares, Chile. Thirty semi-structured face to face interviews were analysed using Grounded Theory methodology. Fathers overall lacked knowledge about HPV and the vaccine. With regards to sex education at home, three salient themes centred on the fathers being part of a ‘transition generation.’ While fathers expressed positive attitudes towards sex education at home and sought to have more open conversations with their children than they had with their own parents, stereotypical gender roles were barriers to putting these desires into action. Future regional and national sexual health initiatives should engage with gender equity policy change and equip fathers to engage in open, non-judgemental conversation with their children about sex and sexuality.