Navigating the complex world of sex for Sāmoan youth

Navigating the complex world of sex for Sāmoan youth

Sexual health is not an easy conversation topic in any culture but a new study by Massey University is urging those working with Pasifika youth to recognise the complex cultural contexts they live in to ensure the message gets through.

Dr Analosa Veukiso-Ulugia’s doctoral thesis, Sexual Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour of Samoan Youth in Aotearoa NZ used the large scale Youth2000 National Health and Wellbeing survey undertaken in 2007 combined with focus groups of Sāmoan youth and interviews with key experts working in the field.

Dr Veukiso-Ulugia says the research shows Sāmoan youth often live within complex cultural settings where influential family and church views are often at odds with attitudes around them and have to deal with a lot of mixed messages.

“The theme from parents and influential church groups was abstaining, waiting until you’re older and well settled in a career. On the other hand, some young people were sexually active and exposed to a world of media and music that promotes a very different message.”

The focus group conversations confirmed while families and church influences are very important, Dr Veukiso-Ulugia says school is where young people receive the majority of their sexual health information. However, she says, even between schools there was a vast diversity around what information they are getting.

Dr Veukiso-Ulugia says there is also a diversity of behaviours. The Youth2000 study showed that in 2007, 55 per cent of Sāmoan students had not had sex – which means 45 per cent of the group had. She says within the group that have had sexual intercourse, a small number were engaging in practises that put them at risk. “There is a group of vulnerable students and we need to consider ways to support these young people.”

Dr Veukiso-Ulugia says given all the varied and often conflicting influences on Pasifika youth, it is vital there is better co-ordination of services. “It’s the responsibility of all of us to ensure our children make safe, healthy choices. School takes up a huge part of our young people’s lives but the research also highlights the role of families, churches and even sports and cultural groups – it would be great if they all promoted similar messages not only around sexual health but also alcohol, drugs and violence.”

Dr Veukiso-Ulugia says there were a lot of community interventions set up in the 1980’s during concern about high Pasifika abortion rates, and yet fast forward 20 years how much change has there been? “There are some promising interventions, but how do we highlight and draw attention to initiatives that are working?”

She hopes her research will encourage those working with Pasifika youth to understand the complex world they live in to better engage and provide more co-ordinated services.

Dr Veukiso-Ulugia is currently a lecturer in Social Work at The University of Auckland.

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