Sexual Knowledge,Sexual Attitudes,and the Need for Sex Education Among Adolescent Defectors From North Korea

Abstract

Introduction:

Adolescent North Korean defectors are vulnerable due to harmful environments during defection, limited access to sex education in North Korea, and exposure to different sexual norms in South Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sexual knowledge, attitudes, and sex education needs of North Korean refugee adolescents.

Methods:

A cross-sectional, descriptive survey was administered to 102 North Korean refugee adolescents.

Results:

The correct answer rate for questions on genital anatomy, physiology, masturbation, and contraception was less than 20%. The participants exhibited conservative attitudes toward female contraception, masturbation, and having friends of the opposite sex. A significant positive correlation was found between knowledge and the need for sex education.

Discussion:

These results highlight the importance of tailored sex education in providing accurate information, improving sexual knowledge, fostering positive attitudes, and enabling healthy behaviors among adolescent North Korean defectors.

Keywords

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea adolescent sex education knowledge attitude

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Abdulrahim

DeJong

Mourtada

Zurayk

(2017). Estimates of early marriage among Syrian refugees in Lebanon in 2016 compared to Syria pre-2011: Sawsan Abdulrahim. The European Journal of Public Health, 27(Suppl. 3), Article ckx189.049. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckx189.049

Ahn

Y. H.

Lim

Y. M.

Kim

K. K.

Song

H. Y.

(2015). Impacts of sexual knowledge and sexual self-efficacy on sexual autonomy among middle school students in a rural area. Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing, 29(1), 90–101. http://doi.org/10.5932/JKPHN.2015.29.1.90

El Ayoubi

L. E. L.

Abdulrahim

Sieverding

. (2021). Sexual and reproductive health information and experiences among Syrian refugee adolescent girls in Lebanon. Qualitative Health Research, 31(5), 983–998. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732321989685

Genz

Meincke

S. M. K.

Carret

M. L. V.

Corrêa

A. C. L.

Alves

C. N.

(2017). Sexually transmitted diseases: Knowledge and sexual behavior of adolescents. Texto & Contexto-Enfermagem, 26(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-07072017005100015

Han

(2020). Sexual knowledge, sexual attitude and reproductive health promotion behavior among North Korean women defectors: Alienated women’s sex. Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial Cooperation Society, 21(11), 385–397. https://doi.org/10.5762/KAIS.2020.21.11.385 (In Korean)

Ivanova

Rai

Kemigisha

(2018). A systematic review of sexual and reproductive health knowledge, experiences and access to services among refugee, migrant and displaced girls and young women in Africa. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(8), 1583. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081583

Jabareen

Zlotnick

(2023). Levels and sources of adolescents’ sexual knowledge in traditional societies: A cross-sectional study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 25(1), 120–129. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12999

Kang

N. M.

Kim

Y. R.

Park

Y. S.

Sohn

I. S.

Lee

S. H.

(2002). Design and evaluation of the program on the internet for sexuality education of adolescences. Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing, 8(4), 595–607. https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2002.8.4.595

Kim

G. N.

Kim

K. H.

(2017). Perception on abortion among Korean men in their 20s and 30s. The Journal of the Korea Contents Association, 17(3), 285–296. https://doi.org/10.5392/JKCA.2017.17.03.285

10.

Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. (2022). Youth health behavior online survey. https://www.kdca.go.kr/yhs/home.jsp

11.

Korri

Hess

Froeschl

Ivanova

(2021). Sexual and reproductive health of Syrian refugee adolescent girls: A qualitative study using focus group discussions in an urban setting in Lebanon. Reproductive Health, 18(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01178-9

12.

Lee

E. M.

Kim

K. Y.

(2017). The effect of sexual attitude, sexual attitude of parents, and depression on sexual intercourse experience of university students. The Korean Journal of Stress Research, 25(3), 155–161. https://doi.org/10.17547/kjsr.2017.25.3.155

13.

Lee

I. S.

Jeon

J. H.

(2021). Development and effects of a psychosocial adaptation program for North Korean adolescent defectors. Child Health Nursing Research, 27(3), 243–255. https://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2021.27.3.243

14.

Lim

J. Y.

Lee

W. H.

Kim

U. S.

Kang

N. M.

(2014). Web-based content strategy for adolescent sexuality education-focused on sexuality knowledge, attitude and web-based need. Korea Society of Design Trend, 42, 287–296.

15.

McCarthy

Brady

Hallman

(2016). Investing when it counts: Reviewing the evidence and charting a course of research and action for very young adolescents. https://www.popcouncil.org/uploads/pdfs/2016PGY_InvestingWhenItCounts.pdf

16.

McMichael

Gifford

(2010). Narratives of sexual health risk and protection amongst young people from refugee backgrounds in Melbourne, Australia. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 12(3), 263–277. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691050903359265

17.

Min

H. Y.

Lee

J. M.

Min

H. Y.

Jeong

Y. W.

(2019). University freshman’s sexual knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction of sex education. The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education, 25(2), 238–250. https://doi.org/10.5977/jkasne.2019.25.2.238

18.

Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. (2022). Statistics of adolescents. http://www.mogef.go.kr/mp/pcd/mp_pcd_s001d.do?mid=plc502&bbtSn=704830

19.

Ministry of Unification. (2023). Current status of North Korean defectors. https://www.unikorea.go.kr/unikorea/business/NKDefectorsPolicy/status/lately/

20.

Nurgitz

Pacheco

R. A.

Senn

C. Y.

Hobden

K. L.

(2021). The impact of sexual education and socialization on sexual satisfaction, attitudes, and self-efficacy. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 30(2), 265–277. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2021-0028

21.

Park

E. H.

(2017). A study on characteristics of sexuality and direction of sex education in adolescents: Focusing on gender-sensitive sex education. Korean Journal of Youth Studies, 24(10), 365–386. https://doi.org/10.21509/KJYS.2017.10.24.10.365

22.

Park

Y. W.

E. H.

(2019). Effects of interpersonal relationships, media literacy, and critical thinking on sexual knowledge, sexual attitude, and sexual behavior of middle school students. The Journal of Learner-Centered Curriculum and Instruction, 19(16), 139–162. https://doi.org/10.22251/jlcci.2019.19.16.139

23.

Peterson

A. J.

Silver

G. K.

Bell

H. A.

Guinosso

S. A.

Coyle

K. K.

(2023). Young people’s views on pornography and their sexual development, attitudes, and behaviors: A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 18(2), 171–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/15546128.2022.2096163

24.

Quan

X. Z.

(2014). A comparative study of international marriage between Korean Chinese women and North Korean women. North Korean Studies, 10(1), 171–205.

25.

Shin

D. Y.

Jung

M. H.

(2022). Youth sexual culture through field expert focus group interviews prevention of sexual problems and search for alternatives. Journal of Culture Industry, 22(4), 125–135.

26.

Svanemyr

Amin

Robles

O. J.

Greene

M. E.

(2015). Creating an enabling environment for adolescent sexual and reproductive health: A framework and promising approaches. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(1), S7–S14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.09.011

27.

Yoo

Pung

(2016). Analysis of sexual knowledge, sexual attitude, sexual behavior of Chinese students in adolescence. The Multicultural Child and Youth Studies, 1(2), 131–169.