Sexual risk behaviour and its correlates among adolescents in Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Timor-Leste: results from national school surveys in 2015

Author(s):  
Karl Peltzer ◽  
Supa Pengpid

AbstractObjectivesThe study aimed to assess the prevalence and correlates of sexual risk behaviours among adolescents in four Southeast Asian countries.MethodsIn the cross-sectional “Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)”, 24,423 adolescents (mean age 14.1 years, SD=1.7) from Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Timor-Leste responded to a questionnaire in 2015.ResultsOverall, 8.5% of the students (11.0% males and 6.3% females) ever had sex, ranging from 5.3% in Indonesia to 26.4% in Timor-Leste. Among the sexually active, 49.3% (55.9% males and 36.8% females) had their first sexual intercourse before the age 14 years, ranging from 16.1% in Laos to 73.9% in Indonesia, 59.7% (62.6% males and 53.5% females) had multiple sexual partners, ranging from 55.5% in Timor-Leste to 63.4% in Indonesia, 46.9% (46.8% males and 46.5% females) did not use a condom at last sex, ranging from 37.0% in Thailand to 65.3% in Indonesia, 49.8% (53.7% males and 43.7% females) had not used or did not know of the use of birth control at last sex, ranging from 40.6% in Thailand to 61.5% in Timor-Leste, and 54.2% (54.9% males and 47.0% females) engaged in multiple sexual risk behaviour, ranging from 45.9% in Laos to 78.0% in Indonesia. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, male sex, older age, food insecurity, tobacco use, alcohol use, ever cannabis and/or amphetamine use, psychological distress, and school truancy were associated with two or more and/or multiple sexual risk behaviours.ConclusionsA high proportion of students engaged in various sexual risk behaviours calling for a scale up comprehensive sexuality education and integration of substance use and mental health into such intervention programmes in this adolescent school population.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 172
Author(s):  
Laura Alonso-Martínez ◽  
María Fernández-Hawrylak ◽  
Davinia Heras-Sevilla ◽  
Delfín Ortega-Sánchez

Sexual risk behaviours are considered sexual conducts that can cause biological, psychological and social damage. Therefore, sexuality education is considered the only effective way to avoid it. This project aims to understand sexual risk behaviour factors and their consequences in young adults and to explore strategies they would use to face them. To answer these questions, we conducted a qualitative study in which we interviewed 11 young adults using an asynchronous mail technique due to the Covid19 pandemic. We also carried out a thematic analysis and developed our key results: 1) Sexual attitudes and behaviours; 2) Sexual risk factors, 3) Sexual risk consequences; and 4) Educational approach and strategies. Similarities in the themes were verified with previous literature, exposing the importance of learning to identify factors and consequences to respond appropriately. Participants believe that comprehensive and egalitarian sexuality education applied at individual and community level is a solid method that can improve sexual health and well-being. To conclude, this study reveals the importance of listening to young adults’ perspectives towards these conduct variables and educational approaches in order to establish global health strategies that could be based on these results.


Author(s):  
Nelisiwe Khuzwayo ◽  
Myra Taylor

Background: Prevention of youth sexual risk behaviour among the youth in uMgungundlovu District Municipality continues to be a primary challenge for public health and health promotion. Current prevention interventions are targeted at an individual level, whilst youth behaviour is influenced by many social and environmental factors.Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the factors influencing sexual risk behaviours of the youth at different socio-ecological levels in uMgungundlovu District Municipality.Methods: An explorative and descriptive qualitative study design was used, using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions for data collection. A framework analysis was used to develop themes derived from the socio-ecological theory.Results: Four themes were identified that influence youth to engage in sexual risk behaviours: (1) individual factors, related to role modelling behaviour, gender and negative stereotypes towards females; (2) the microsystem in which youth function including the influence of family and peers; (3) the exo-system comprising the disadvantaged socio-economic status of the communities where the youth live; and (4) the macrosystem where negative social norms were reported to influence youth health outcomes.Conclusion: Sexual risk behaviour among youth in uMgungundlovu is influenced by many factors at multiple social levels. Interventions directed at these multiple levels are needed urgently.


Sexual Health ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Shilo ◽  
Zohar Mor

Background With the increased use of the Internet to seek sex, research has documented its associated sexual risk behaviours, especially among gay and bisexual men. Only a few studies to date have been conducted among adolescent and young men, and these have focussed on behavioural components to do with seeking sex online, without considering the role of same-sex identity formation processes. The current study aimed to identify behavioural and identity formation variables associated with seeking sex online among adolescents and youth. Methods: A web sampling of young Israeli gay and bisexual men aged 12–30 years (n = 445) was used to assess their seeking sex online characteristics, mental health, sexual risk behaviours, substance use, same-sex disclosure and acceptance and coping resources. Results: Nearly half of the sample used the Internet to seek sex, which was correlated with substance use and sexual risk behaviour. Young adults seek for sex online more commonly than adolescents. Higher numbers of: sexual partners, level of outness, levels of friends support and stronger connectedness to the gay community predicted seeking sex online. Seeking sex online was found to be more of predictor for sexual risk behaviour than any other predictor. Conclusions: Seeking sex online is influenced by the gay sub-culture climate and peer group relationships, rather than by social stressor variables related to sexual orientation formation processes, or by the subject’s general mental health condition. These results underscore the possible risks pertaining to seeking sex among gay and bisexual men and the possible use for this venue to convey safe-sex messages to adolescents and young adults.


Sexual Health ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Earl Burrell ◽  
Daniella Mark ◽  
Robert Grant ◽  
Robin Wood ◽  
Linda-Gail Bekker

Background: Distinct homosexual and heterosexual HIV epidemics have previously been recognised in South Africa. However, linked HIV prevalence and self-reported sexual risk behaviour data have not been reported for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Cape Town since 1986. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous, venue-based HIV risk behaviour and prevalence study of 542 self-identified MSM in greater Cape Town using a self-administered risk questionnaire and the OraSure® testing device to asses HIV-1 prevalence. Results: This sample had an overall HIV prevalence of 10.4% (56/539). We found that self-identifying as gay, homosexual or queer (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0–20.0) and reporting ever having had a sexually transmissible infection diagnosis (AOR 4.3, 95% CI: 2.3–8.3) were significantly predictive of testing HIV-1 positive, while reporting unprotected anal intercourse with a known HIV-negative partner (AOR 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2–0.9) was significantly protective. Conclusion: These data suggest a mature epidemic with consistent high-risk taking among MSM in Cape Town, and significant associations of select self-reported risk behaviours and HIV-1 serostatus. There is a need for continued and robust HIV surveillance along with detailed risk behaviour trends over time to inform the development of targeted risk-reduction interventions for this population.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bai James ◽  
Augustus Osborne ◽  
Abdulai Jawo Bah ◽  
Emmanuel Kamanda Margao ◽  
Mohamed Conteh-Barat

Abstract Background: There is very little information on sexual risk behaviour among Sierra Leone and Liberia school-going adolescents. The present study assessed the prevalence and determinants of sexual risk behaviours among school-aged adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Method: We used publicly available nationally representative cross-sectional datasets of the 2017 Sierra Leone and Liberia Global school health survey. The sample consisted of 2798 and 2744 school-going adolescents from Sierra Leone and Liberia, respectively. Results: The majority of adolescents in the two countries were involved in multiple sexual risk behaviour (80.2%), with higher prevalence observed in Sierra Leone (85.2%) than in Liberia (75.3%), Liberian adolescents showed lesser odds of indulging in multiple sexual risk behaviours than their Sierra Leonean counterparts (AOR=0.572; 95%CI: 0.345-0.946). Male compared to females were more likely to engage in multiple sexual risk behaviour (AOR=2.310;95%CI:1.543-3.458), with a similar pattern observed in both countries. Alcohol use was associated with multiple sexual risk behaviour (AOR=3.064; 95%CI: 2.137-4.392). Also, in Sierra Leone and Liberia, adolescents with one and two or more forms of psychological distress were more likely to have ever had sex than those who do show any form of psychological distress. Missing class/school was associated with multiple sexual risk behaviour (AOR=1.655; 95%CI:1.133-2.418). Peer support was only found to be a protective factor against no condom use among Liberian adolescents (AOR=0.608; 95%CI: 0.435-0.850). Less parental support was only associated with ever had sex more likely to have ever had sex as seen among adolescents in Sierra Leone (AOR=2.027; 95%CI: 1.322-3.107) but not Liberia (1.034(0.650-1.644). Conclusion: Our study found a high sexual risk behaviour among school-going adolescents in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Our finding highlights the need to strengthen sexual and reproductive health education in schools and communities that incorporate mental health promotion activities tailored to this group.


Sexual Health ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shauna Stahlman ◽  
Marjan Javanbakht ◽  
Susan Cochran ◽  
Steven Shoptaw ◽  
Alison B. Hamilton ◽  
...  

Women in the US military report a high prevalence of sexual risk behaviours, such as binge drinking and new or multiple sexual partnerships. However, demographical differences pose challenges to making comparisons with civilians. Two public-use datasets were used to compare prevalence of sexual risk behaviours between sexually active military and civilian women, after adjusting for demographic factors. It was found that women in the military reported a higher prevalence of binge drinking and new/multiple sexual partners as compared with civilians, which suggests that military women are a high-risk group and the military environment may at least partially facilitate these risk behaviours.


Sexual Health ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Tyler ◽  
Lisa Melander

Background: The study examined whether engaging in drug and sexual risk behaviours with social network and non-network members (strangers) differentially affected the decision to test for sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and HIV. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 249 homeless youths aged 14–21 years. Results: Multivariate analyses revealed that females were over three times more likely than males to test for STIs (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.54–7.25). For every one unit increase in age, there was a 37% increase in the likelihood of having tested for STIs (AOR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.12–1.68). Youths who had sex after using alcohol and drugs with strangers were approximately 3.5 times more likely to have tested for STIs (AOR = 3.45; 95% CI = 1.38–8.61). For every one unit increase in age, there was a 26% increase in the likelihood of having tested for HIV (AOR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.05–1.51). Youths who had sex with a stranger after using alcohol or drugs were over three times more likely to test for HIV (AOR = 3.22; 95% CI = 1.42–7.31). No social network variables reached significance for STI or HIV testing. Conclusions: Being older and engaging in drug and sexual risk behaviours with strangers are important correlates of STI and HIV testing. Females are more likely than males to be tested for STIs. Engaging in risky behaviours with social network members was not a key factor in deciding whether to be tested.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document