AEGiS-13IAC: Identifying antecedents to school youth condom use in Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Identifying antecedents to school youth condom use in Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:61 (abstract no.. LBPeD7109)

Dallimore A, Ubomba-Jaswa P
DRA-Development, Durban, South Africa. Fax: + 27 31 208 4113, E-mail: antdra@iafrica.com.

BACKGROUND: Given high rates of HIV infection in South Africa, the "Transition to Adulthood in the Context of HIV/AIDS " sheds important light on adolescents in Kwazulu-Natal. The study, undertaken by the Universities of Natal and Tulane and the Population Council, interviewed 3096 adolescents between the ages of 14-22. This first round of a longitudinal study attempts to measure how family, community, education and other factors influence knowledge, attitudes, sexual behaviour and health.

METHODS: The data was collected within adolescents' home from randomly selected enumeration areas within Durban Metro and Mthunzini Magisterial District. Information was also gathered at a household level and collection took place during September and October 1999. Cleaning of the data set was completed in April 2000. This analysis focused on a sub-set of the sample (2393 adolescents): those who had attended school in the 21 months prior to the interview. Adolescents were asked whether life skills topics such as HlV/AIDS and condom use were discussed in school. Responses were used to group adolescents into three levels of exposure.

RESULTS: Initial assumptions were that life skills education would have some impact on behaviour. However multiple logistic regression used to test a key outcome variable - condom use at last intercourse - showed exposure to not be significant. Of the 849 adolescents who had sex during the month prior to interview 49.4% reported wearing a condom. Variables found to be significant included sex, race and socio-economic status, if the respondent used another form of contraception and their percieved risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. Of those who did not wear a condom, 73.9% believed they were at no or small risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that current life skills education may not be an effective protective factor in adolescent behaviour and that alternative actions might need to he considered to strengthen this approach.

Keywords: AEGIS, Safe Sex, Condoms, Sex Behavior, Schools, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Adolescent Behavior, HIV Infections, Coitus, Contraception Behavior, Data Collection, Adolescent Psychology, Contraception, Sex Education, Students, Longitudinal Studies, South Africa, Adolescent, Human, Adolescence, Education, AIDS
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