Community context and prevalence of premarital sexual intercourse among young women in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Philippines: Trends and differentials from 1993 to 2003

Background: Studies suggest substantial diversity in the prevalence of premarital sex across communities, but little is known about how community environment affects premarital sexual behavior. This study examines trends and differentials in the prevalence of premarital sexual intercourse among young women aged 15-24 and further explores the community factors in the overall trends in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Philippines from 1993 to 2003.

Method: Data are from population-based Demographic and Health Surveys over a 10-year period in Kenya, Nigeria, and the Philippines. Multilevel logistic regressions are used to model the relationship between individual backgrounds, community-level behavioral norms, and premarital sex.

Results: Preliminary results indicate no consistent trend in premarital sex among young women across countries but premarital sex is more prevalent among the older age-groups (20-24) than the younger group. Education demonstrates a protective role in premarital sex. In addition to intraclass correlations, significant variations are found between communities in premarital sex prevalence. In these 3 countries, young women living in a community with a high percentage of women who had sex at age 15 or younger are more likely to have premarital sex. Living in a community with increasing median marriage age significantly increases the likelihood of premarital sex. Further analyses will explore the mechanisms through which community factors influence these trends.

Discussion: The cross-cultural comparisons will contribute to the understanding of community differences in risk and resilience for premarital sexual behavior, which in turn will benefit policy aimed at promoting reproductive and sexual health among young women.