Determinants of Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents in Addis Ababa: the Role of Individual, Familial and Neighborhood Characteristics
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Date
2014-03
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Studies in the past have emphasized the relevance of individual and familial factors to
adolescent sexuality in Ethiopia; however, few have examined the empirical connections among
individual, familial, neighborhood level factors and adolescent sexual behaviors. The main
purpose of this study was to examine which individual, familial and neighborhood factors
predicted each sexual behavior of adolescents. The respondents of this study were randomly
selected preparatory school adolescents in Addis Ababa. To get the required sample of
adolescents, the study utilized a multistage clustering sampling technique. As a result, a sample
of 1209 adolescents were assumed to get their responses, however, only 962 (525 female and
437 male) adolescents completed the questionnaires. Out of 962 adolescents, 725 reported that
they were virgins and 237 were non-virgins. The study used individual factors, familial factors
and neighborhood as predictor variables and first coital initiation, condom use, risky and
protective sexual behaviors as criterion variables. The study employed univariate, bivariate, and
multivariate analytical methods. The analyses were conducted for the whole sample and sexual
active sample. In the multivariate analysis regarding protective sex, among individual factors;
age, gender, religiosity, and substance use significantly predicted protective sex. Similarly,
among family factors; family structure, parental monitoring and family cohesion significantly
predicted protective sex. On the other hand, only substance use and religiosity predicted risky
sexual behavior. Besides, the multivariate analysis showed that among individual factors; age,
religiosity, self-esteem and substance use significantly predicted the odds of adolescent condom
use, and among family factors; family structure, parental monitoring and family cohesion
significantly predicted condom use. In this regard, mother education and family SES had
suppressive effects on condom use. In relation to first coital intercourse, age, gender and substance use significantly predicted first coital initiation and among neighborhood factors; only
neighborhood collective efficacy significantly predicted first coital initiation. Substance use
created links between parental factors (parental monitoring and family cohesion) and risky
sexual behavior and first coital initiation. The study revealed that parental monitoring and
family cohesion mediated in the relationship between neighborhood factors and risky sexual
behavior. However, parental monitoring and family cohesion mediated in the linkages between
neighborhood disorganization and first coital initiation but not for neighborhood collective
efficacy. Moreover, parental monitoring mediated in the relationship between neighborhood
disorganization and protective sexual behavior but not for neighborhood collective efficacy. On
the other hand, only family cohesion mediated in the linkages between neighborhood factors and
protective sexual behavior. In contrast, both parental monitoring and family cohesion mediated
in the linkages between neighborhood factors and condom use. In relation to interaction effects,
only neighborhood collective efficacy by parental monitoring significantly predicted protective
sexual behavior. Finally, the study proposed future research to strengthen the findings of this
study
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