247500 Patterns of Perceived Risk and Condom Use among Adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa

Monday, October 31, 2011: 3:42 PM

Julie A. Cederbaum, PhD, MSW, MPH , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Tamika Gilreath, PhD , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Anamika Barman-Adhikari, MA, MSW, PhD Student , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Background: In sub-Saharan African (SSA), adolescents are confronted with multiple behavioral, physiological and socio-cultural factors that contribute to their sexual health vulnerability. While studies have examined factors associated with condom use behaviors, few have assessed risk perception and condom use among SSA adolescents. This work sought to understand the profiles of these adolescent.

Methods: Data for this study are derived from the National Survey of Adolescents (2004-2005), a survey of 12-19 year olds in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda. Data were accessed through the Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). Latent class analysis was conducted.

Results: Three risk profiles (one condom use sub-group) emerged in the data. Percent of adolescents in the condom use sub-groups ranged from 6.8% - 17.2%. Those in the condom use class were more likely to rate themselves as "very worried" about pregnancy and report knowing someone who had died of AIDS. Urbanicity was a factor (1.82 - 4.82 times more likely) in being classified a condom user in Burkina Faso and Uganda; adolescents who were older were 2.12 - 2.3 times more likely to be condom using. Findings by gender varied.

Conclusion: The findings from this study provide additional information regarding the factors that influence condom use among adolescents in these four countries. Important known correlates, including age and urbanicity should continue to be studied; more work is needed to understand the role of gender and the importance of health beliefs in condom use decision-making among SSA adolescents.

Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. to identify the factors which influence sexual risk engagement 2. explain risk profiles of condom users 3. discuss innovative prevention ideas to reduce HIV risk engagement

Keywords: Condom Use, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked extensively in primary prevention of HIV both clinically and through my research. I was the lead on this study.
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.

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