Sexual behaviours among adolescents in a rural setting in eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional study
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tropical Medicine & International Health
Abstract
Globally as adolescents transition into adulthood, some engage in risky sexual
behaviours. Such risky behaviours expose adolescents to unintended pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV infection. Our objective was to examine sexual practices
of adolescents (aged 10–19 years) in eastern Uganda and identify factors associated with having ever
had sexual intercourse.
methods Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a standardised questionnaire among randomly
selected adolescents residing within the Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site in
eastern Uganda. Crude and adjusted prevalence rate ratios (PRR) were estimated using the Modified
Poisson regression model to identify factors associated with adolescents having ever had sex.
results Of the 598 adolescents studied, 108 (18.1%) reported ever having had sexual intercourse,
of whom 20 (18.5%) had ever gotten pregnant. Adolescents who reported to be out of school, 76
(12.7%), were more likely to have ever had sexual intercourse (PRR = 1.82, CI = 1.09–3.01).
Females were less likely to ever have had sexual intercourse (PRR 0.69 (0.51–0.93) than males.
History of ever having had sexual intercourse was associated with adolescents sexting (PRR = 1.54,
CI: 1.14–2.08), watching sexually explicit films (PRR = 2.29 Cl: 1.60 - 3.29) and experiencing verbal
jokes about sexual intentions (PRR = 1.76, Cl: 1.27 - 2.44).
conclusions A majority of participants reported not being sexually active; however, interventions
should be required for both sexually active and not sexually active adolescents. Programmes targeted
at adolescents in this and similar communities should include comprehensive sex education, and
contraceptive distribution among adolescents. In particular, urgent interventions are needed to guide
adolescents as they use social media.
Description
Keywords
Adolescents, Sexual practices, Sexting, Sub-Saharan Africa, Uganda
Citation
Bukenya, J. N., Nakafeero, M., Ssekamatte, T., Isabirye, N., Guwatudde, D., & Fawzi, W. W. (2020). Sexual behaviours among adolescents in a rural setting in eastern Uganda: a cross‐sectional study. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 25(1), 81-88. doi:10.1111/tmi.13329