Protection before the harm: The case of condom use at the onset of premarital sexual relationship among youths in Nigeria
Reproductive Health
23
Issue: 1
(04 - 2008)
Condom protection has been linked to HIV decline, but the goal to prevent infections
before any harm informs this focus on condom use at premarital sexual debut. The
study builds on the proposition that condom use at first intercourse is an immediate
indicator of the risks associated with the encounter and the propensity of subsequent
condom use consistently and regularly. Data from the 2003 Nigeria Demographic and
Health Survey and binary logistic regression models were utilized to examine the
predictors of condom use at premarital sexual debut among Nigerian youths aged 15-
24. The analysis identified significant independent effects of age at sexual debut, living
arrangements, level of education, and household economic status, with the strongest
effect linked to ethnic origin. The findings underscore the complexity of socio-cultural
contexts that influence sexual behavior across groups within one country, and the
importance of a multi-factor policy perspective for effective behavior interventions.
Key Words: Condom use, Protective behavior, Premarital sexual debut, Youth,
Nigeria.
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