Prevalence and predictors of premarital sexual intercourse among young women in sub-Saharan Africa.
Reprod Health
; 20(1): 99, 2023 Jun 29.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37386443
Having premarital sexual intercourse (PSI) without adequate knowledge and application of the knowledge could have adverse effects on the sexual and reproductive health of vulnerable young women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study examined the prevalence and predictors of PSI among young women in SSA. Nationally representative cross-sectional data from 29 countries in SSA were used. A sample size of 87,924 never married young women was used to estimate the prevalence of PSI. A multilevel binary logistic regression was used to examine the predictors of PSI. The prevalence of PSI among young women in SSA was high. Young women aged 2024 and those who had attained secondary/higher educational level were more likely to engage in PSI. However, young women who belonged to the Islamic religion; were working; belonged to the richest wealth index; were not exposed to radio at all; were not exposed to television at all; resided in rural areas; and those who were living in the East African sub-region were less likely to engage in PSI. Sub-regional variations in the prevalence of PSI exist amidst multiple risk factors among young women in SSA. Concerted efforts are required to empower young women financially, including education on sexual and reproductive health behaviors such as the detrimental effects of sexual experimentation and encouraging abstinence and/or condom use through regular youth-risk communication advocacy.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Sexual Behavior
/
Coitus
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Reprod Health
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Country of publication: