MEASURE Evaluation Project and Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
J Biosoc Sci. 2010 Jan;42(1):1-25. doi: 10.1017/S0021932009990277. Epub 2009 Oct 1.
Understanding the social and cultural contextual determinants of sexual behaviour of adolescents and young adults is an essential step towards curtailing the spread of HIV. This study examined the effects of one cultural factor, ethnicity, on sexual abstinence, faithfulness, condom use at last sex, and risky sex among young people in Zimbabwe. Data from the cross-sectional, population-based 2005-06 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey were used. Net of the effect of sociodemographic and social-cognitive factors, and using multinomial logistic regression, ethnicity was found to have a strong and consistent effect on sexual behaviour among youth. In addition, the study found that there were ethnic-specific and within-gender differences in sexual behaviour, for both men and women. Shona youth were more likely to be abstinent than Ndebele youth. Compared with Shona youth, Ndebele youth were more likely to have engaged in risky sex. However, Ndebele men were more likely have used condoms at last sex, compared with Shona men. For both men and women, sexual behaviour was more socially controlled. School attendance and religion exerted protective effects on sexual abstinence. For men only, those living in rural areas were less likely to be faithful and more likely to have engaged in risky sexual behaviour than those living in urban areas. The study attests to the fact that ethnic norms and ideologies of sexuality need to be identified and more thoroughly understood. In addition, the study provides evidence that in order to promote safe and healthy sexuality among young people in Zimbabwe, cultural, social and gender-specific approaches to the development of HIV prevention strategies should be seriously considered. Current success in the Abstinence, Being faithful and Condom use (ABC) approach could be strengthened by recognizing and responding to cultural forces that reproduce and perpetuate risky sexual behaviours.
了解青少年和年轻人性行为的社会和文化背景决定因素是遏制艾滋病毒传播的重要步骤。本研究考察了一种文化因素，即种族，对津巴布韦年轻人的性禁欲、忠诚、上次性行为时使用避孕套和危险性行为的影响。本研究使用了横断面、基于人群的 2005-06 年津巴布韦人口与健康调查的数据。在控制社会人口学和社会认知因素的影响后，使用多项逻辑回归分析发现，种族对年轻人的性行为有很强的一致影响。此外，研究发现，年轻人的性行为存在种族特异性和性别内差异，男性和女性均如此。绍纳青年比恩德贝莱青年更有可能保持禁欲。与绍纳青年相比，恩德贝莱青年更有可能从事危险性行为。然而，与绍纳青年相比，恩德贝莱青年在最后一次性行为中更有可能使用避孕套。对于男性和女性来说，性行为受到更多的社会控制。上学和宗教对性禁欲有保护作用。对于男性来说，与生活在城市地区的男性相比，生活在农村地区的男性更不可能保持忠诚，更有可能从事危险的性行为。该研究证明了这样一个事实，即需要确定和更深入地了解种族规范和性观念。此外，该研究还提供了证据表明，为了促进津巴布韦年轻人的安全性行为和健康，应该认真考虑针对特定文化、社会和性别的艾滋病毒预防战略的制定。目前，通过认识和应对再生产和延续危险性行为的文化力量，可以加强禁欲、忠诚和使用避孕套（ABC）方法的成功。
