Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104902

Sohail Agha, PhD, International Health and Development, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2200, New Orleans, LA 70112, 504-988-3543, sagha@tulane.edu and Ronan Van Rossem, PhD, University of Ghent, Mecatorstraat 203, B 9100, Sint Niklaas, Belgium.

Objectives: To understand community level influences on adolescent sexual initiation in Nigeria.

Background: Ecological theory posits the importance of social context in determining attitudes and behavior and emphasizes factors operating at the community and societal levels. However, most studies of the determinants of abstinence have examined the effects of factors at the individual level. This study examines individual and community level determinants of primary abstinence in Nigeria in order to developing a better understanding of how best to design effective programs to promote abstinence.

Methods: Data from the nationally representative 2003 Nigerian National AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey is used. Community level variables were created by aggregating individual level data at the locality level. Factor analysis identified 5 important factors at the community level: knowledge of and openness to receiving AIDS information, social support for family planning, communication about sexuality, social support for condom use, incorrect information and stigma towards AIDS. Multilevel regression analysis was used to determine the effect of community and individual socio-demographic variables on sexual initiation.

Results: There are strong benefits in terms of delayed sexual initiation of living in communities with higher levels of correct knowledge and openness to receiving AIDS information, especially for women. Moreover, sexual onset is delayed when there is community support for family planning and for condom use. Incorrect information and AIDS stigma has negative effects by increasing the likelihood of early sexual initiation.

Conclusions: Sexual initiation is delayed in communities that are more knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS and supportive of contraceptive use.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will recognize the importance of specific community influences on adolescent sexual initiation. This will lead to their being better equipped to design effective adolescent sexual health interventions.

Keywords: Sexual Behavior, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation