227212 Individual and social factors related to sexual behavioral intention among a sample of Bangladesh adolescents

Monday, November 8, 2010

Christina J. Sun, MS , Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Katrina Berg, MA , Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Marc Boulay, PhD , Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
The purpose of the study is to measure the association between individual and social factors and intentions to use a contraceptive method at next sex among adolescents in Bangladesh. Data come from the 2004 Bangladesh Adolescent Reproductive Health Survey, a nationally-representative sample of Bangladesh adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years. Items measured individual, household, community, and mass media factors that were hypothesized to affect contraceptive intentions. Analysis consisted of a sub-sample of 673 girls and 892 boys (n=1565). Propensity score matching methods were used to find similar comparison groups and logistic regression models estimated bivariate and multivariate associations. Among unmarried female adolescents, pregnancy knowledge, perceptions that social norms favor contraceptive use, and reported parent-child communication about adolescent health issues were positively associated with intentions. Among unmarried male adolescents, exposure to radio messages about contraception and reported parent-child communication about adolescent health issues were positively associated with contraceptive intentions. These findings reaffirm that programs need to address influence at multiple levels and increase parent-child communication among adolescents, particularly males.

Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Describe the sexual patterns of Bangladesh adolescents. Name the salient factors associated with contraception intention among Bangladesh adolescents

Keywords: Adolescents, International, Sexual Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have experience presenting internationally on this topic and I am student at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.