Transition into first sex among adolescents in slum and non-slum communities in Nairobi, Kenya
Open accessAbstract
While early sexual experiences are a key marker of the transition from childhood to adulthood, it is widely acknowledged that precocious initiation of sexual activity predisposes adolescents to negative health and psychological outcomes. Extant studies investigating adolescent sexuality in sub-Saharan Africa often rely on cross-sectional data lacking information on the social-psychological underpinnings of adolescent behavior. Through the theoretical lens of the protection-risk conceptual framework, this paper draws on two waves of longitudinal data collected from 2,134 adolescents to examine sociodemographic, psychosocial and behavioral predictors of transition to first sex among adolescents living in slum and non-slum settlements in urban Kenya. We employ logistic regression models to examine the effect of antecedent sociodemographic and risk and protective factors measured during the first wave of data collection on transition to first sex by the second wave. We observe that transition to first sex is influenced by age, slum residence, perceived parental monitoring, and peer behavior. We also find evidence for coupling of risk behaviors. Study findings underscore the need to focus on very young adolescents and those growing up in resource poor settings as these young people may be highly vulnerable to negative health outcomes stemming from precocious sexual activity.
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Girls in informal settlements are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.
“girls in informal settlements are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior [63].”
From Physical, social, and political inequities constraining girls’ menstrual management at schools in informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya. (2017) · cites this paper as [63]
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Flagged first, then by citations
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“Studies have shown that adolescent slum dwellers were more likely to initiate sexual intercourse at an early age and subsequently graduate to risky sexual behaviors compared to non-slum dwellers (Dodoo et al., 2007; Kabiru et al., 2010; Marston et al., 2013).”
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“We extend previous research in two important ways: by using LCA to identify subgroups of young people who share similar patterns in romantic and sexual experiences, and by focusing on early adolescents in urban slums for whom little data is available, even though evidence suggests that compared with peers in non-slum…”
BackgroundInfluentialSelf-citationMaina, B. W., Sikweyiya, Y. M., Ferguson, L., & Kabiru, C. W. (2020) · Culture Health & Sexuality · doi:10.1080/13691058.2020.1829058 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“The available literature suggests that sexual development is also influenced by sociocultural structures that define the conduct expected for men in romantic and sexual relationships (Kabiru et al. 2010; Stern, Cooper, and Greenbaum 2015), intertwining masculinity with male sexuality.”
BackgroundSelf-citationMaina, B. W., Orindi, B., Osindo, J., & Ziraba, A. K. (2020) · International Journal of Adolescence and Youth · doi:10.1080/02673843.2020.1756861 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“…et al., 2017; Schilling et al., 2007), increase the likelihood of young people engaging in risky sexual behaviours (Abdulraheem & Fawole, 2009; Kabiru et al., 2010; Madise et al., 2012) as well as elevated risk for depression (Kamndaya et al., 2017; Magidson et al., 2017; Schilling et al.,…”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialRoth, E. A., Benoit, C., Jansson, M., & Hallgrímsdóttir, H. K. (2017) · Human Ecology · doi:10.1007/s10745-017-9897-2 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“Residence in Nairobi informal settlements in general is associated with substance abuse, early sexual onset and commercial sex (Mugisha et al. 2003; Kabiru et al. 2010; Zulu et al. 2011).”
BackgroundInternal Migration and Early Life Mortality in Kenya and Nigeria
Mberu, B. U., & Mutua, M. (2014) · Population Space and Place · doi:10.1002/psp.1857 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Manda, W. C., Kamndaya, M. S., Pilgrim, N. A., Mathur, S., Chipeta, E. K., & Sikweyiya, Y. M. (2023) · PLOS Global Public Health · doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0001339 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“These include the development of secondary sexual characteristics such as breast budding, rounded figure or hips and experience of menstruation in girls, ejaculation in boys and most attain sexual maturity [1, 3, 4].”
BackgroundBéguy, D., & Mberu, B. U. (2015) · Culture Health & Sexuality · doi:10.1080/13691058.2015.1038731 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“…Taffa and Chepngeno 2005; Ziraba et al. 2009), mortality (Ziraba, Kyobutungi, and Zulu 2011; Kyobutungi et al. 2008), sexual violence and risky sexual practices (Beguy et al. 2009; Kabiru et al. 2010; Zulu, Dodoo, and Ezeh 2002) relative to other population sub-groups, including rural residents.”
BackgroundAbuya, B. A., Ngware, M., Hungi, N., Mutisya, M., Nyariro, M., Mahuro, G. M., & Oketch, M. (2013) · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Gausman, J., Lloyd, D., Kallon, T., Subramanian, S. V., Langer, A., & Austin, S. B. (2019) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.02.010 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Buyinza, T., Buzigi, E., Bukenya, J. N., Mbuliro, M., Kiwanuka, J. P., Ndejjo, R., & Guwatudde, D. (2025) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-025-23498-2 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
“To account for an expected 20% loss to follow-up [27, 30, 31], the target sample size was increased to 1,200 adolescents.”
Arthur, S. S., Bangha, M. W., & Sankoh, O. A. (2013) · Tropical Medicine & International Health · doi:10.1111/tmi.12209 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Higher education level and school enrolment were associated with delayed childbearing (Beguy et al. 2011; Kabiru et al. 2010).”
BackgroundBolarinwa, O. A., & Tlou, B. (2022) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.810216 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“Most informal settlements are characterized by high levels of poverty and relative deprivation, with women who find themselves in such settlements being at high risk of adverse SRH outcomes, including HIV infection and STIs, as well as unintended pregnancies (11, 12).”
BackgroundMisinde, C., Nansubuga, E., & Nankinga, O. (2018) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-018-6094-1 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Mberu, B. U. (2015) · International handbooks of population · doi:10.1007/978-94-017-7282-2_12 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Fearon, E., Wiggins, R. D., Pettifor, A. E., MacPhail, C. L., Kahn, K., Selin, A., Gómez-Olivé, F. X., & Hargreaves, J. (2019) · AIDS and Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10461-019-02406-x · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Sexual reproductive health service provision to young people in Kenya; what is the best model?
Godia, P. (2012) · University of Liverpool · doi:10.17638/00005873 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Bakeera‐Kitaka, S., Smekens, T., Jespers, V., Wobudeya, E., Loos, J., Colebunders, R., Adipo, D., Kekitiinwa, A., Musoke, P., Buvé, A., et al. (2018) · AIDS and Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10461-018-2323-y · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Service delivery inaccessibility as a predictor of teenage pregnancy in South Africa
Mkwananzi, S. (2023) · African Health Sciences · doi:10.4314/ahs.v23i3.9 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Age at initial sexual intercourse and health of adolescent girls
Lara, L. A. D. S., & Abdo, C. H. N. (2015) · Cited by 6 · see citing works
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Obstacles to creating an environment conducive to HIV prevention for young people
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The challenges of breastfeeding in poor urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa
Kimani-Murage, E. W., Wekesah, F. M., Wanjohi, M., Nyamasege, C. K., Mutoni, S., & Macharia, T. N. (2020) · African Sun Media eBooks · doi:10.18820/9781928357759/07 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
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Transitions to adulthood in a high fertility context: The case of sub-Saharan Africa
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“11 12 The study used a community-based participatory approach with qualitative data collection.”
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A Family-Based Sexual Health Communication Intervention With Sex Worker Mothers in Kolkata, india
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Self-citationFactors influencing adolescent fertility in urban Kenya
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HIV and young people: perceptions of risk, resilience and dignity in an urban slum
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Early sexual relationships and age mixing among older adolescents living in an urban slum in Ghana
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“Adolescents in urban informal settlements are also likely to engage in sexual activities at an early age (Dodoo et al., 2007; Kabiru et al., 2010; Zulu et al., 2002), majorly attributed to the high incidence of poverty which forces young women to engage in transactional sex in exchange for basic…”
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“Likewise, strong perceived social and family support, including increased caregiver communication and monitoring, have been linked to decreased risk-taking behaviours in adolescents (Kabiru et al., 2010).”
Maina, B. W., Akoth, D., Wambui, E., Akuku, I., Kinyanjui, J., Wanjaria, J., Gichuki, J., Kamau, K., Namatende-Sakwa, L., Oduor, M., et al. (2026) · doi:10.12688/verixiv.3213.1
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- Authors
- Kabiru, C. W., Beguy, D., Undie, C.-C., Zulu, E. M., & Ezeh, A. C.
- Affiliations
- African Population and Health Research Center (KE)
- African Institute for Development Policy (KE)
- Corresponding author
- Kabiru, Caroline W.
- Venue
- Journal of Youth Studies
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2010-07-08
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 453-471
- ISSN
- 1367-6261 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-9680
- PMC
- PMC4061375
- OpenAlex
- W2002279224
- Cited by
- 77
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 9.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Youth Studies (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (078530)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Health and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- adolescent sexual behavior, early sexual initiation, urban poverty, parental supervision, peer influence, risk and protective factors, Nairobi
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