Sexual Health Experiences of Adolescents in Three Ghanaian Towns

Context: Ghanaian youth are greatly affected by widespread social change, and their reproductive health needs may differ by social group, age and gender. Methods: In-person interviews on sexual health issues were conducted with 704 never-married youth aged 12-24 in three Ghanaian towns. The sample included youth who were in school, in apprenticeship programs or in neither school nor apprenticeship programs (unaffiliated). Results: More than half of the respondents had ever had sexual intercourse (52%), with the adjusted odds for females being 1.6 times those for males and the odds for unaffiliated and apprenticed youth being 2.5-3.2 times those for in-school youth. The odds of having had sex in the previous month were elevated for females (2.0) and apprentices (2.7). Both sexes tended to accept violence towards women, with unaffiliated youth showing the highest level of acceptance and in-school youth the lowest. Nearly all respondents (99%) knew of condoms, but fewer than half (48%) could identify any of four elements of correct use; females and sexually inexperienced youth were the least informed. Two-thirds of respondents considered it unacceptable for males to carry condoms, and three-quarters considered it unacceptable for females. Twenty-five percent of males and 8% of females reported having had a sexually transmitted infection. One-third of sexually experienced females reported having ever been pregnant; of those, 70% reported having had or having attempted to have an abortion. Conclusions: Adolescent reproductive health programs should be targeted to the needs of specific groups. /// [Spanish] Contexto: Los jóvenes de Ghana se ven muy afectados por los grandes cambios sociales, y sus necesidades en materia de salud reproductiva pueden diferir de acuerdo con el grupo social, de edad y de género a que pertenecen. Métodos: Se realizaron entrevistas personales sobre cuestiones de salud sexual a una muestra de 704 jóvenes que nunca se habían casado, de 12-24 años, en tres pueblos de Ghana. Esta muestra incluyó a jóvenes que asistían a la escuela, a programas de aprendizaje, o que simplemente no asistían a ninguno de esos centros de formación (no afiliados). Resultados: Más de la mitad de los entrevistados habían tenido relaciones sexuales alguna vez (52%); la razón de momios ajustada para las mujeres era de 1,6 en comparación con los hombres, y la de los no afiliados y miembros de los centros de aprendizaje eran de 2,5-3,2, en comparación con aquellos j