Addressing contextual factors using participatory learning and action among adolescents in China

Yingying Zhou, University of Washington
Qian Geng, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH)
Yongfeng Liu, China Family Planning Association

Adolescents sexual and reproductive health issue, while a taboo before, is recently gaining growing public and academic concerns in China. However, RH programs addressing the issue are scattered, and often fail to address the social environment due to their limited scales. The China Youth RH Project is a partnership between PATH and CFPA. Incorporating cognitive behavior and stage of change theories, it aims to improve RH status of youth ages 10-24 in China by also addressing contextual factors for ASRH. The PLA needs assessment research conducted at the early stage of the project shows the importance of social environment in shaping youth’s access and utilization of RH services. Application of the PLA also helps to improve the contextual factors at the family, school, and community levels. This paper introduces how the application of PLA helped to improve the social environment in Wuhan, China. The China experience contributes to improving ASRH programs in the developing world.