Parental Consent Required For Children To Participate In Survey – STATIN

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) says its interviewers will only administer the 2021 Reproductive Health Survey (RHS) to minors within the targeted group after receiving parental consent.

The RHS is a household survey being conducted by STATIN on behalf of the National Family Planning Board (NFPB). It looks at the fertility, contraception and reproductive health of women and men aged 15 to 49 years.

In an interview with JIS News, Head of the Special Projects Unit, Surveys Division, STATIN, Philone Mantock, said that for “children 15 to 17 years, the interviewers are asked to get permission from their parents or guardians”.

Ms. Mantock emphasised that the interviewers “can’t just interview them right away”.

She noted that the questions in the survey are very “sensitive”.  However, the interviewers have been trained, so they know when to revisit a question, pause and reassure respondents.

Ms. Mantock further indicated that the survey has two questionnaires, one that asks basic questions about the characteristics of the household, while the other asks about partnership history and fertility.

Females will respond to questions about the number of pregnancies they have had, while the males will be asked about the number of “live births” they have fathered. Other questions will focus on contraception, tobacco and alcohol use, HIV and their perception, knowledge and attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health.

Ms. Mantock also stressed that the information collected in the survey is strictly confidential.

“Interviewers have to sign a Secrets Act as well as a Form of Oath and this adheres that they maintain the confidentiality. Anything that is disclosed to them, they have to keep it private,” she said.

“We encourage participation of the Jamaican population to ensure that we have a successful survey,” Ms. Mantock added.