Correlates of Use of Condoms Among Sexually Active Youth in Southern Highlands, Tanzania

Bernard Njau,Declare Mushi,Victoria Mwakalo

doi:10.1177/2158244013491406

Abstract

Sexual behavior change is a complex issue influenced by complex variables, intrinsic and extrinsic. This study aimed to assess factors influencing actual use of a male condom among secondary school students in southern Tanzania. In all, 227 sexually experienced participants aged 14 to 18 completed a pretested questionnaire. Out of 227 sexually active participants, 120 (53%) reported consistent condom use and (62.5%) had multiple sexual partnerships. Of 120 who reported condom use, 42 (35%) had tested for HIV. Among males, age was positively correlated with actual condom use, while being a Catholic and having multiple concurrent sexual partners were negatively correlated with actual condom use. Among females, being a Protestant was positively related with actual condom use, while being a Catholic, reporting multiple sexual partnerships, and perceived barriers to condom were negatively correlated with actual condom use. In conclusion, sexually active youth in this population practice risky sexual behaviors, with a low proportion of condom use. Efforts are warranted to motivate sexually active youth to engage in HIV prevention, including condom use and HIV testing.

Highlights

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remain a worldwide public health problem with an estimated 36 million people living with HIV globally (UNAIDS, 2010)
A total of 324 students participated in the study, a participation rate of 84.2%
Age and religion were demographic characteristics associated with actual condom use in the last 3 months

Summary

Introduction

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remain a worldwide public health problem with an estimated 36 million people living with HIV globally (UNAIDS, 2010). Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is most heavily affected by HIV/AIDS, with an estimated 22.9 million people living with HIV, two thirds of the global HIV burden (UNAIDS, 2010). By the end of 2010, an estimated 1.7 million Tanzanian were living with HIV, with an overall prevalence of 15% among 15- to 24-year-olds (Tanzania Commission for AIDS, Zanzibar AIDS Commission, National Bureau of Statistics, & ORC Marco, 2008; World Health Organization [WHO], 2010). The above-mentioned factors may be outside the individual’s control, it has been observed that psychosocial ideational factors, defined as proximate determinants (e.g., perceived risks, self-efficacy, and social approval) have an indirect influence on the choice of protective behaviors such as condom use (Babalola, 2005; Fisher & Fisher, 2000; Underwood, Sachonda, Serlemitsos, & Bharath-Kumar, 2006)

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