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

Abstract #118501

Nafissatou Diop-Sidibé, PhD, Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins University, 111 Market place. Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21202, (443) 742-0523, nsidibe@jhsph.edu

Context: The association between youth's sexual and reproductive attitudes and behaviors, and that of their peers and parents has been documented, but information on siblings' influence is scarce, especially in the developing world.

Methods: This study uses data from 1397 girls and 1242 boys aged 15 to 24 from Abidjan, Bouaké, and Korhogo. Siblings are grouped by premarital childbearing status. Life table technique and Cox multivariate regressions are used to estimate respondents' probability of first sex by siblings' group. Characteristics are included on the respondents and their role models (siblings, mother, father, aunt/uncle, and friends).

Results: Youth with siblings who had premarital childbearing have higher life table probability of early sexual debut. The effect is greater on same sex individuals, and greatest when both a brother and a sister have experienced the event. Differences between groups are more pronounced for boys. Multivariate analyses confirm a significant association between siblings' premarital childbearing and early start of sexual activity for boys but not girls. Nevertheless, siblings and friends remain the only significant role models once other factors are controlled for.

Conclusion: Delaying sexual debut reduces risk of pregnancy and STI/HIV/AIDS, as well as their negative physical, social, and economic consequences to the youth. Interventions have focused on peers and parent-child relationships. However, a non-negligible proportion of youth declared having no friends. Moreover, youth prefer discussing sexuality and reproduction with their siblings than any other relative. To increase their effectiveness, youth's programs should develop strategies that include the inter-siblings effect

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Identify the two groups most influential on urban youth sexual and reproductive health in Cote d'Ivoire
• Re-evaluate some commonly held beliefs about the role of different family members as it relates to African youth sexual and reproductive health
• Recognize the need for programs addressing youth sexual and reproductive health to think outside the box and involve non-conventional, yet influential, groups such as siblings in order to better meet their objectives.

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