Influence of parental factors on adolescents’ transition to first sexual intercourse in Nairobi, Kenya: a longitudinal study

Abstract

BackgroundSeveral studies have demonstrated a link between young people’s sexual behavior and levels of parental monitoring, parent-child communication, and parental discipline in Western countries. However, little is known about this association in African settings, especially among young people living in high poverty settings such as urban slums. The objective of the study was to assess the influence of parental factors (monitoring, communication, and discipline) on the transition to first sexual intercourse among unmarried adolescents living in urban slums in Kenya.MethodsLongitudinal data collected from young people living in two slums in Nairobi, Kenya were used. The sample was restricted to unmarried adolescents aged 12–19 years at Wave 1 (weighted n = 1927). Parental factors at Wave 1 were used to predict adolescents’ transition to first sexual intercourse by Wave 2. Relevant covariates including the adolescents’ age, sex, residence, school enrollment, religiosity, delinquency, and peer models for risk behavior were controlled for. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of interest. All analyses were conducted using Stata version 13.ResultsApproximately 6 % of our sample transitioned to first sexual intercourse within the one-year study period; there was no sex difference in the transition rate. In the multivariate analyses, male adolescents who reported communication with their mothers were less likely to transition to first sexual intercourse compared to those who did not (p < 0.05). This association persisted even after controlling for relevant covariates (OR: ≤0.33; p < 0.05). However, parental monitoring, discipline, and communication with their fathers did not predict transition to first sexual intercourse for male adolescents. For female adolescents, parental monitoring, discipline, and communication with fathers predicted transition to first sexual intercourse; however, only communication with fathers remained statistically significant after controlling for relevant covariates (OR: 0.30; 95 % C.I.: 0.13–0.68).ConclusionThis study provides evidence that cross-gender communication with parents is associated with a delay in the onset of sexual intercourse among slum-dwelling adolescents. Targeted adolescent sexual and reproductive health programmatic interventions that include parents may have significant impacts on delaying sexual debut, and possibly reducing sexual risk behaviors, among young people in high-risk settings such as slums.

Are parenting practices associated with the same child outcomes in sub-Saharan African countries as in high-income countries? A review and synthesis

“…The construct of ‘parent–child connection’ has also been defined as communication between parent and child21 although most studies in SSA have investigated this in relation to SRH outcomes 10. In the present review, one higher quality longitudinal study by Okigbo et al 48 found an association between parent and child ‘cross-gender’ general communication and a delay in transition to first sex at wave 2 in the TTA study48 (table 3).…”

“…Sidze et al 47 showed that parental connection was associated with safer sexual behaviour (condom use) in adolescent males 47. There was an association between parent–child ‘cross-gender’ general communication and delayed transition to sexual debut in the longitudinal study of Okigbo et al 48. However, results on the associations between parent–child communication about SRH and outcomes were inconsistent, with four studies indicating protective effects,55–58 one showing it increases risky SRH behaviour51 and two studies showing inconsistent or limited results 52 60.…”

“…Studies ranged in sample size from 30 to 31 098 and were conducted in 13 SSA countries, with most conducted in Kenya, Ghana and South Africa. Some drew on large-scale national studies including: ‘Transition to Adulthood’ (TTA)47–49 and the ‘Cameroon Family and Health Surveys’ (CFHS) 50 51. Other studies reported findings from more than one SSA country 52–54.…”

“…Fako55 assessed parenting that was measured by a 76-item questionnaire,55 whereas Negeri56 used six items from Silverberg’s parental monitoring scale and parent–child communication about HIV/AIDS was measured using a five-item scale 56. Okigbo et al 48 measured general supportive communication, not communication specifically about SRH 48. Furthermore, two studies measured parenting dimensions (monitoring/connectedness) as well as parenting styles (eg, authoritative/authoritarian) 57 58.…”

Stakeholders’ perception and intervention preferences regarding comprehensive sexuality education in male adolescents: a qualitative study from Iran

“…Empowerment of parents regarding sexuality education is an effective intervention for promoting the adolescents' sexual health (21,24,39,40). Therefore, sensitizing parents, encouraging their interaction with the school, and empowering them in order to reduce their resistance against formal education were among the suggestions proposed by teachers and policymakers.…”