What are the characteristics of ‘sexually ready’ adolescents? Exploring the sexual readiness of youth in urban poor Accra

Biney, Adriana A. E.; Dodoo, F. Nii Amoo

doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2620-6

Cited by 16 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Even though studies in other countries show that females are more likely to be primary sexual abstainers, the pattern in Ghana is the reverse. The finding in this study is therefore in line with previous studies in the country [22]. In Ghana and across much of Africa, young unmarried females usually face pressures to engage in sex with older male partners for financial and social support, and the cultural norms subtly encourage such sexual relationships.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…The current study focused on the three communities because the data relied on was limited to those communities. Secondly, adolescents and youth in the three communities are known to initiate sexual intercourse much earlier, and teenage pregnancy is commonplace [22,35]. The context of the three communities therefore provides an opportunity to study sexual abstinence in an environment where abstinence practice is extremely difficult.…”

Section: Study Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On gender, studies conducted in the United States and Western Europe show that male adolescents and youth are less likely to abstain from sexual intercourse than females [20,21]. In Ghana, however, female adolescents are less likely to abstain from sex compared to their male counterparts [18,22]. The pattern in Ghana can be attributed to gender inequities and social norms that compel females to initiate sexual intercourse early, usually with older males, for financial and other related support [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictors of primary and secondary sexual abstinence among never-married youth in urban poor Accra, Ghana

Alhassan

Dodoo

2020

Reprod Health

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Background: Sexual abstinence is a key component of the strategy to address unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and HIV among youth in sub-Sahara Africa. But contextual pressures make abstaining from sex a formidable task for urban poor youth in the sub-region. Nevertheless, some youth in these settings still manage to resist the pressure to initiate sex early, while others choose abstinence after an initial sexual debut. Few studies in the sub-region have examined sexual abstinence among urban poor youth. We therefore examined the factors that predict primary and secondary sexual abstinence among youth in urban poor Accra. The findings highlight the protective factors associated with sexual intercourse and should help to address the needs of youth at risk of unprotected sex. Methods: The study analysed pooled data from two rounds of the Urban Health and Poverty Survey. The surveys analysed were conducted in 2011 and 2013. The analysis was restricted to unmarried youth between age 20 and 24 years. The total sample comprised 235 female and male youth. We conducted multinomial logistic regression analysis to examine the predictors of primary and secondary abstinence relative to current sexual intercourse. Results: The results showed that being female, sexual communication with only fathers, sexual communication with only friends and slum residence were negatively associated with primary sexual abstinence. Contrarily, being in school, attaching importance to religion, residing in a household that received social support and sexual communication with both parents were positively associated with primary abstinence. Regarding secondary abstinence, only the sexual communication variables had significant effects. Sexual communication with both parents positively predicted secondary abstinence while communication with fathers-only and friends-only had a negative effect. Conclusion: Sexual abstinence is predicted by factors which range from individual through household factors to the locality of residence. Despite the importance of all the predictors, the study found that sexual communication with both parents was the only factor that predicted a higher likelihood of both primary and secondary sexual abstinence. We therefore recommend sexual communication between parents and youth as a key strategy for promoting sexual abstinence among urban poor youth in Accra, Ghana.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Study Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictors of primary and secondary sexual abstinence among never-married youth in urban poor Accra, Ghana

Alhassan

Dodoo

2020

Reprod Health

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“…A total of 56 KI interviews with representatives from 40 countries were completed, 188 unpublished documents were received, and 61 published articles and 11 conference abstracts identified. Lessons learnt on other topics have been published elsewhere [20] , [21] , [22] , [26] .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This paper presents the HPV vaccine coverage achieved in demonstration projects and national programmes in LAMIC that had completed at least six months of implementation between January 2007 and May 2016. Related publications summarising lessons learnt from HPV vaccination in 45 LAMICs have not had space to interrogate the substantial coverage data available [20] , [21] , [22] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage achievements in low and middle-income countries 2007–2016

Gallagher

Howard

Kabakama

et al. 2017

Papillomavirus Research

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IntroductionSince 2007, HPV vaccine has been available to low and middle income countries (LAMIC) for small-scale ‘demonstration projects’, or national programmes. We analysed coverage achieved in HPV vaccine demonstration projects and national programmes that had completed at least 6 months of implementation between January 2007–2016.MethodsA mapping exercise identified 45 LAMICs with HPV vaccine delivery experience. Estimates of coverage and factors influencing coverage were obtained from 56 key informant interviews, a systematic published literature search of 5 databases that identified 61 relevant full texts and 188 solicited unpublished documents, including coverage surveys. Coverage achievements were analysed descriptively against country or project/programme characteristics. Heterogeneity in data, funder requirements, and project/programme design precluded multivariate analysis.ResultsEstimates of uptake, schedule completion rates and/or final dose coverage were available from 41 of 45 LAMICs included in the study. Only 17 estimates from 13 countries were from coverage surveys, most were administrative data. Final dose coverage estimates were all over 50% with most between 70% and 90%, and showed no trend over time. The majority of delivery strategies included schools as a vaccination venue. In countries with school enrolment rates below 90%, inclusion of strategies to reach out-of-school girls contributed to obtaining high coverage compared to school-only strategies. There was no correlation between final dose coverage and estimated recurrent financial costs of delivery from cost analyses. Coverage achieved during joint delivery of HPV vaccine combined with another intervention was variable with little/no evaluation of the correlates of success.ConclusionsThis is the most comprehensive descriptive analysis of HPV vaccine coverage in LAMICs to date. It is possible to deliver HPV vaccine with excellent coverage in LAMICs. Further good quality data are needed from health facility based delivery strategies and national programmes to aid policymakers to effectively and sustainably scale-up HPV vaccination.

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Factors contributing to the uptake of childhood vaccination in Galkayo District, Puntland, Somalia

Abdullahi

Williams

Sahlén

et al. 2020

Global Health Action

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Background: As in many Sub-Saharan African countries, the health system in Somalia is not operating at the capacity needed to lift childhood vaccination coverage to ninety percent or above, as recommended by United Nations Children's Fund. Current national estimates of coverage for the six major vaccine preventable childhood diseases range from thirty to sixty percent. Infectious disease outbreaks continue to pose significant challenges for the country's health authorities. Objective: This important qualitative study, conducted in Galkayo District, Somalia, investigates limiting factors associated with childhood vaccination uptake from the perspective of both communities and health care workers. Methods: Qualitative information was collected through six focus group discussions with parents (n = 48) and five one-to-one interviews with health workers (n = 15) between March and May 2017, in three settings in the Galkayo District-Galkayo city, Bayra and Bacadwayn. Results: From a health system perspective, the factors are: awareness raising, hard to reach areas, negative attitudes and perceived knowledge of health workers, inadequate supplies and infrastructure, and missed vaccination opportunities. From the perspective of individuals and communities the factors are: low trust in vaccines, misinterpretation of religious beliefs, vaccine refusals, Somalia's patriarchal system and rumours and misinformation. Parents mostly received immunization information from social mobilizers and health facilities. Fathers, who are typically family decision-makers, were poorly informed. The findings highlight the need for in-service training to enable health workers to improve communication with parents, particularly fathers, peripheral communities and local religious leaders. Conclusions: Enhancing knowledge and awareness of vaccination among parents is crucial. Fathers' involvement is lacking. This may be boosted by highlighting fathers' obligation to protect their children's health through vaccination. It is also important that men engage with the wider community in decision-making and advance towards the global vaccination targets.

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What are the characteristics of ‘sexually ready’ adolescents? Exploring the sexual readiness of youth in urban poor Accra

Cited by 16 publications

References 42 publications

Predictors of primary and secondary sexual abstinence among never-married youth in urban poor Accra, Ghana

Predictors of primary and secondary sexual abstinence among never-married youth in urban poor Accra, Ghana

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage achievements in low and middle-income countries 2007–2016

Factors contributing to the uptake of childhood vaccination in Galkayo District, Puntland, Somalia

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