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Cited by 108Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive HealthAdolescent Health and BehaviorsLGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy

Predictors of Sexual Debut Among Young Adolescents in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements

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Marston, Milly, Beguy, Donatien, Kabiru, Caroline, Cleland, John·2013·International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
DOI 10.1363/3902213PMC PMC4101799
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Abstract

CONTEXT: There is a need to better understand the various social, psychosocial and behavioral factors associated with sexual activity among young adolescents in various settings in Sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: Data were drawn from Wave 1 (2007-2008) and Wave 2 (2009) of the Transition to Adulthood study, which collected information about key markers of the transition to adulthood and social, demographic and psychosocial characteristics of male and female youth living in two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine variables associated with experience of sexual debut by Wave 2 among youth who were aged 12-16 and sexually inexperienced at Wave 1. RESULTS: Of the 1,754 youth in the sample, 92 experienced sexual debut between survey waves. For both males and females, sexual debut was positively associated with having permanently dropped out of school (odds ratios, 6.9 and 21.8, respectively), having never attended school (8.6 and 39.4) and having experienced severe family dysfunction (2.8 and 5.7). Lack of parental supervision was a predictor of sexual debut among males only (10.1), whereas low aspiration was a predictor among females only (10.4). Surprisingly, young women, as well as men, who did not have high self-esteem were less likely than those who did to initiate first sex between waves (0.4 and 0.3). CONCLUSIONS: Study findings underscore the importance of school attendance, family dysfunction, parental supervision and self-esteem in driving sexual behavior in this age-group. Further studies are warranted to elucidate how these factors can be addressed in prevention programs for young adolescents.

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  • Lack of comprehensive sexuality education, both in schools and at home with family members, is a determinant of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.

    “Lack of comprehensive sexuality education, both in schools and at home with family members [15, 19, 23, 26, 29, 31, 32, 34, 36, 37, 41, 45, 46].”

    From Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review (2018) · cites this paper as [37]

    The Results and Discussion (pages not provided) link school attendance and family supervision to early sexual debut, and the Background says early intercourse increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy. The paper does not identify a lack of comprehensive sexuality education at school or at home as a determinant of adolescent pregnancy; its measured outcome is sexual debut among adolescents in Nairobi’s informal settlements. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Positive attitude towards early sexual relationships is a determinant of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.

    “Positive attitude towards early sexual relationships, and early sexual debut [14, 22, 29, 31, 37–39, 41].”

    From Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review (2018) · cites this paper as [37]

    The Background (page unavailable) says early sexual intercourse increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa. The Results (page unavailable) examine predictors of sexual debut among adolescents in Nairobi’s informal settlements, but do not identify a positive attitude toward early sexual relationships as a predictor of pregnancy. The claimed determinant is therefore not established by this source. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Lack of parental counseling and guidance is a determinant of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.

    “In addition, lack of parental counseling and guidance, severe family dysfunction with parental neglect [23, 26, 31, 33–37, 40, 41, 45, 46].”

    From Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review (2018) · cites this paper as [37]

    The Discussion reports that lack of parental supervision predicted early sexual debut among males, and severe family dysfunction predicted it among both males and females in Nairobi’s informal settlements. The Background says early sexual intercourse increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy. The paper does not establish lack of parental counseling or guidance as a determinant of adolescent pregnancy across sub-Saharan Africa. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Severe family dysfunction with parental neglect is a determinant of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.

    “In addition, lack of parental counseling and guidance, severe family dysfunction with parental neglect [23, 26, 31, 33–37, 40, 41, 45, 46].”

    From Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review (2018) · cites this paper as [37]

    The Results report that severe family dysfunction predicted sexual debut among boys and girls aged 12–16 in Nairobi’s informal settlements; lack of parental supervision predicted sexual debut among boys only. The paper notes that early sexual intercourse increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy, but it does not establish parental neglect or family dysfunction as a determinant of adolescent pregnancy across sub-Saharan Africa (Results and Background; page numbers unavailable). (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Educational status is a determinant of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.

    “educational status [26, 32, 37, 42]”

    From Determinants of adolescent pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review (2018) · cites this paper as [37]

    The Results associate school dropout and never having attended school with early sexual debut among young adolescents in Nairobi, and the Background says early intercourse increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy. The paper does not establish educational status as a determinant of adolescent pregnancy itself or across sub-Saharan Africa. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cites

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Cited by

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Authors
Marston, M., Beguy, D., Kabiru, C., & Cleland, J.
Affiliations
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB)
ORCID
Venue
International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Publisher
Guttmacher Institute
Published
2013-03
Volume
39
Issue
01
Pages
022-031
ISSN
1944-0391 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1363/3902213
PMC
PMC4101799
OpenAlex
W2020943078
Cited by
108
References
3
Citations by year
2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6
FWCI
9.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • LSHTM Research Online (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (52037)
  • Rockefeller Foundation
  • William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (2009-4051)
  • Wellcome Trust (078530, GR 07830 M)
  • Department for International Development
  • African Population and Health Research Center
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 › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
Keywords
sexual initiation, adolescent sexual behavior, informal settlements, Nairobi, school dropout, family dysfunction, parental supervision, self-esteem, aspiration, coming of age
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Child, Coitus, Female, Forecasting, Humans, Kenya, Male, Parent-Child Relations, Poverty Areas, Pregnancy, Self Concept, Logistic Models, Odds Ratio, Young Adult

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