“Who cares?” – Enabling and barriers to parent-to-child communication concerning sexual reproductive health issues in Salima, Malawi

Parent-to-child communication in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is an important tool for reducing risky sexual behaviors among adolescents. Parent‒child communication (PCC) regarding sexual issues is a challenging phenomenon worldwide. The evidence suggests that inadequate parent-to-child communication results in unintended teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections, HIV and AIDS, school problems, and other sexual risk behaviors among adolescents. Understanding the effects of transparent and direct communication between parents and adolescents on SRH can help reduce SRH-related problems among adolescents. This study explored adolescents’ perspectives on parent‒child communication with respect to SRH issues to identify enablers and barriers aimed at developing a transparent, direct, and comprehensive approach to enhance such communication This study utilized a descriptive qualitative design. Fifteen (15) adolescents aged 12–19 years were purposively sampled to participate in the in-depth interviews that were guided by an interview guide . Data were organized using excel and analyzed manually using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged from the study, including adolescents’ perceived importance of parent–child SRH communication; perceived enablers of parent-to-child communication on SRH and perceived barriers to parent–child communication on SRH. Generally, the findings revealed that clear and open communications between parents and adolescents positively influence adolescents’ SRH decision-making. Enabling parent‒to-child communication is essential for improved adolescents’ understanding of SRH issues, while addressing existing barriers is indispensable for more effective parent–child SRH communication. A thorough understanding of how communication between parents and adolescents impacts SRH can help reduce SRH issues and improve decision-making and culturally acceptable behaviors. This study provides initial insights into SRH communication between parents and adolescents. Therefore, further research is necessary to expand knowledge of SRH communication in this context.