Bingenheimer Jeffrey B, Asante Elizabeth, Ahiadeke Clement
Assistant Professor, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20052.
Stud Fam Plann. 2015 Mar;46(1):1-19. doi: 10.1111/j.1728-4465.2015.00012.x.
Little is known about the influences of peers on the sexual activity of adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Better understanding of these issues could lead to more effective sexual and reproductive health interventions. Using two waves of survey data from 1,275 adolescents in two southeastern Ghanaian towns, we examine age, sex, and community differences in peer group characteristics. We also examine prospective associations between peer group characteristics and self-reported sexual initiation and multiple partnerships during a 20-month follow-up period. Sex differences in peer-context variables were small. Affiliation with antisocial peers and perceived peer norms favoring sex increased the odds of transition to first sex. Having more friends increased the odds among younger respondents of acquiring multiple new sexual partners. Among males, perceived peer norms favoring sex increased the odds of acquiring multiple partners. We discuss the implications of these findings for adolescent sexual and reproductive health intervention strategies in sub-Saharan Africa, and conclude that peer-based interventions may be best suited to the needs of at-risk adolescent boys.
关于撒哈拉以南非洲地区同龄人对青少年性活动的影响，我们所知甚少。更好地理解这些问题可能会带来更有效的性健康和生殖健康干预措施。利用来自加纳东南部两个城镇1275名青少年的两轮调查数据，我们研究了同龄人团体特征在年龄、性别和社区方面的差异。我们还研究了在20个月的随访期内，同龄人团体特征与自我报告的首次性行为及多个性伴侣之间的前瞻性关联。同龄人背景变量中的性别差异很小。与反社会同龄人交往以及认为同龄人规范性行为的观念会增加首次性行为的几率。拥有更多朋友会增加年轻受访者拥有多个新性伴侣的几率。在男性中，认为同龄人规范性行为的观念会增加拥有多个性伴侣的几率。我们讨论了这些发现对撒哈拉以南非洲地区青少年性健康和生殖健康干预策略的影响，并得出结论，基于同龄人的干预措施可能最适合有风险的青少年男孩的需求。
