Determinants of age at first sex inequality between women and men youth in Uganda: A decomposition analysis

Abstract

Introduction Teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases are major public health problems in Uganda. Early sexual debut is one of the main routes of these public health problems. This study aimed to identify factors that explain age at first sex inequality between men and women Ugandan youth. Methods This study used secondary data from a cross-sectional Uganda demographic health survey (2016). Participants were 10 189 sexually experienced youth. Using Stata 14, intermediary analysis was done to assess the statistical association between explanatory variables and age at first sex in a multiple logistic regression analysis. Oaxaca decomposition was used to decompose factors that explain inequalities in age at first sex between men and women youth. Results Intermediary results showed Islam, many household members, residing in the eastern region, and being divorced/widowed were predictors of early age at first sex. While secondary education, higher education, blue-collar jobs, and being 20 to 30 years old were protective factors against early age at first sex. Material, behavior/cultural, psychosocial, and demographic explanatory factors jointly explained a statistically significant portion of the observed gap in early age at first sex between women and men youth. More women were at a disadvantage at an early age at first sex compared to men youth. About 96.37% of this gap was explained by unequal distribution of material, behavior/cultural, psychosocial, and demographic factors between men and women youth. Relationship to household head (49%), education (16.87%), occupation (8,94%), number of household members (8.57%), using the internet (7.99%), and reading newspapers or magazines (4.39%) made a significant contribution to the explanation of early age at first sex inequality between men and women youth. Conclusions Results showed early age at first sex inequality between women and men youth that favored men. Programs designed to address early age at first sex and related health outcomes must combat inequities in education, employment opportunities, access to sexual reproductive information through internet, and newspapers or magazines between men and women youth. They should also foster household relationships and monitor girls.

Understanding sexual behaviors of youth from the lens of caregivers, teachers, local leaders and youth in Homabay County, Kenya

“…This places the female partners in disadvantaged position as they have little or no control over the implications of their partners’ lack of faithfulness. It has been suggested that early sexual debut increases young peoples’ risk for HIV and other STIs [ 30 , 50 ] given that people who start sexual activity early are more likely to engage in high-risky sexual behavior such as having multiple sexual partners. In a study to determine the association between age at sexual debut and multiple sexual partnership and the mediating role of the knowledge of STIs in the relationship among the youth in Nigeria, Alawode et al [ 1 ] established that adolescents who first had sex at 15 + years were significantly less likely to have multiple sexual partners compared to those who had early sexual debut aged below 15 years.…”